Tenebrae Praeteritus, Ignotus Futura
by Quibblette
Summary: Is Hermione Granger REALLY who she seems? When Draco Malfoy discovers a long-lost relative things start to change. Dramatically. The ultimate evil has been unleashed. Will he win the war of life and death or will the lightside win the race against time?
1. In which dreams make a life hell

1 IN WHICH DREAMS MAKE A PARTICULAR LIFE HELL  
  
She was running down the hallway. Trying to escape form her father. She had tried it many times before but it never worked. He was too strong. She was only young but he was a powerful wizard. An evil, powerful wizard. Why did I have to be born into a place like this? She asked herself as she ran. Mother! I miss you mother! Please come back. I can't do this alone. Father is too strong. I will never be able to make it. I am too weak to fight. I can't hold on any longer please mother. Please come back.  
  
The small seven year old ran down the stone corridors until she found the entrance door. It was huge indeed. And beautiful with it's sophisticated carvings. But she had no time to examine them now. She quickly opened the door and ran outside but only to be greeted with her father's faithful servants…  
  
"This shall be your first real punishment," her father sneered. Yeah, like being locked in a dungeon for a week with only water and stale bread once every two days isn't a punishment, the small girl thought to herself. Her father pointed to a small corner of the dungeon with chains in a threatening manner. He wanted her to go there.  
  
"No!" she screamed.  
  
"You arrogant brat! Have I done nothing for you? Go over there NOW!" he bellowed.  
  
"No!" she replied again. "And no, you have done nothing for me but ruin my life!"  
  
She was only seven but she had been brought up to have the type of maturity no child should have. One that even an adult shouldn't have. Her father roughly gripped her arms and dragged her towards the chains at the small corner. He slammed her face first into the wall and continued to chain her up.  
  
"This is what we call a minor punishment," he said holding a spiked whip. "It is a real punishment. But there are many worst. Let's hope you're smart enough to keep your trap shut and be happy with what you've got otherwise you will be met with excruciating pain."  
  
WHIP!  
  
She refused to let the cry of pain escape her throat. Her father was not going to get even a whimper out of her. Not even a tear.  
  
WHIP!  
  
She could feel the sticky liquid running down her back. Blood, she thought, he is no father. He's a monster!  
  
WHIP!  
  
Pain. So, this is what it felt like. Real pain. She could hardly hold it in but she was determined. This monster was not going to get as much as a tear from her.  
  
WHIP!  
  
A cry of pain escape her throat. She had failed her small mission. He knew that she was in pain. She could just imagine him smiling now. Tears were now streaming down her face. There was no need to keep it in any longer. There was no difference between a single cry or many cries and tears. Her father knew she was in pain.  
  
WHIP!  
  
Pain. And then the world went black…..  
  
Hermione Granger woke up from her nightmare, sweat pouring down her body, hair pressed against her back. She felt like she was in an oven and it was hard for her to breath. It was a common thing for her. She had been again visited by one of the many dreams of her childhood. Her father was out there somewhere. Determined to kill the most precious thing in the world to her. He had made her life hell. But she had escaped with Josh. If her twin wanted to stay then it was up to him. She would never have to go back there again. Never. But remember what distracted him, a nagging voice at the back of her mind said - her conscience. I had to! she screamed at herself, I had to. There was no other way. He was evil. He tried to kill Josh.  
  
At least she was with the Grangers now. With Josh. He was safe. No one needed to know about her past. Even the Grangers didn't know. She had decided to try to escape again after the night of her fiftieth real punishment. For once the attempt was successful. She found herself at an orphanage and was soon adopted by the Grangers. She had told them that her mother and father died in a car crash and she and her brother had wondered the streets until the people at the orphanage found them. They didn't question her story. But then again. Who would question an innocent looking ten year old girl, who had scars all the way across her back? No-one.  
  
She slowly got on her shaky legs and made her way to the showers. What would Ron and Harry think? she wondered to herself, if I told them. No. I'm Hermione Granger now. Not Merloyn. Never again. I'll never be the Merloyn he wanted me to be. They'll never have me. Never! So why bother telling them? It won't make a difference. They'd just be in more danger. After all they still want me to go back. At any cost.  
  
I need to do something about it, she continued to think as she shakily took of her clothes and stepped into the hot, steaming bath. He'll be in danger if he finds out. He'll hate me. After all, I am a monster's daughter. A monster. No, I used to be one too. But never again. They'll never use me again. I'm never going to go back to them. Never! NEVER!  
  
The still shaking 15 year old slowly finished her bath and got dressed into the clean, black Hogwarts robes. She was glad that the robes covered the scars she still possessed from her childhood. Especially the one shaped like the Dark Mark at the bottom of her left shoulder blade. Her father had planted it there when she was only 3 years old. It was a symbol to show that she was His - forever.  
  
She slowly shook her head and went back into her room. Tears running down her face from the painful memories of her childhood. No, no-one should've been through this. But Josh had. And so did another boy. One she wished she was never related to.  
  
She could hear crying coming from an adjoining room. Poor Josh. He had been through so much at such a young age. She couldn't have the Grangers walk in on him crying. She knew he hated it and most of all she knew that eventually the Grangers would find out if he went on like this. He was eleven now and was also accepted into Hogwarts. He was strong minded and kept an indifferent expression around people, just like she did. But when he was alone he was a nervous wreck.  
  
She quietly walked into the adjoining room and found her brother there. His silvery-blonde hair falling in front of his greyish eyes eyes. He was pale, like all of them but he had inherited his mother's short height. Hermione could see him crying on his bed, holding a picture of their mother close to his heart. He was muttering the same things she always used to. Mother, why did you have to go? I can't take it much longer. Mother, if only that monster hadn't done this to you. But he paid mother. He paid. I wish you were here mother. I wish it so bad.  
  
"Josh," his sister cooed.  
  
She walked over to his bed and wrapped her arms around him in tight hug.  
  
"C'mon. You have to move on. It happened 8 years ago. Mother would want us to move on," she continued.  
  
A new stream of tears burst from her brother's eyes.  
  
"But Merloyn, I miss her so much. I was only three but Merloyn what am I supposed to do? What if people don't like me at Hogwarts? What if.."  
  
"Shush," Hermione interrupted her brother. "People will love you at Hogwarts. You'll make tonnes of friends. And don't forget that I'll be there too. You can come to me whenever you need to. But please Josh. Call me Hermione when people are around. I know you already do but be careful okay? We don't want father's people to know where we are. And please don't go looking for our brother. I know you miss mother Josh. I do too."  
  
"Don't worry Merloyn," her brother said. "I won't. I'm not that stupid."  
  
Hermione smiled. "Thanks Josh. You're the best brother a girl could have."  
  
"And you're the best sister a boy could have," he said as she got up, "I think I better get packing now."  
  
He wiped away his tears an opened up his wardrobe.  
  
"So what do you think. The blue or the black?" he asked his sister to try to lighten the mood while holding up two dress robes.  
  
"Definitely the black," she said smiling, "black is definitely your colour."  
  
"Thanks Merloyn," 


	2. In which everyone meets the li'l bro

1 IN WHICH PEOPLE MEET THE 'LI'L BROTHER'  
  
"Granger, Josh," Professor McGonagall said.  
  
A few heads turned towards Hermione who just smiled in reply.  
  
"You never told us you had a brother Hermione," Ron said.  
  
"Well, you never asked," she replied with a smile.  
  
A tall boy with silvery-blonde hair and pale skin walked up. Hermione looked around and saw that a particular Slytherin had an amazed look on his face. Harry and Ron also looked puzzled.  
  
"He looks like you Hermione," Harry started.  
  
"But he also looks a hell of a lot like someone else too," Ron decided to finish off his best-friend's sentence while glancing at the amazed Slytherin.  
  
2 Inside the sorting hat  
  
3 Anything but Slytherin, anything but Slytherin  
  
By the sounds of it you don't like Slytherin much do you  
  
3.1 No. My sister says that it turns out Dark Wizards and that everyone in there's a prat  
  
You must be Hermione's brother then. Brainy as always. Scared your secrets gonna come out?  
  
3.2 Yes  
  
Well, your sister turned out to be a pretty good kid so I won't hold it against yah  
  
3.3 Thankyou  
  
You want to prove yourself to others don't you boy  
  
Well, sort of  
  
But you're smart and brave too. You have a lot of courage kid. It best be  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
The Gryffindor table burst out in applause. Josh happily ran over to where Hermione was sitting.  
  
"Hi Josh!" Ron greeted.  
  
"You must be Ron," he replied happily.  
  
"How'd you know?" he asked expecting something about his hair.  
  
"Well, Hermione's always talking about you cause you're the one sh-" Josh was cut off by Hermione slapping her hand over his mouth and smiling sweetly at Ron and Harry before giving Josh a death glare.  
  
He pulled her hand of his mouth and shot her back a glare that made Harry and Ron back away but to their astonishment Hermione shot him back one equally as menacing.  
  
"If looks could kill," Ron muttered to Harry who just nodded his head.  
  
"Did you two go to a special school for glares or something?" Harry asked. "Your glares almost match Malfoy's Josh, and you're four years younger than him."  
  
The eleven year old instantly paled and grabbed hold of Hermione's arm.  
  
"Mer-Hermione," he said. "we need to talk. Now."  
  
"Demanding, demanding," she replied smiling. "Josh, we can talk. But how 'bout after dinner? Now would be a great time to try to make some friends."  
  
"Okay," Josh replied and walked towards a group of 1st year boys.  
  
"He actually listens to you!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"Well I guess you'd listen to Percy if he could shoot death glares like that Ron," Harry replied, "Why haven't you ever used it on Malfoy?"  
  
"Oh, it's only for my brother," she replied and started to shovel food into her mouth as a sign that she didn't want to talk about it anymore.  
  
"Okay, let's change the subject," Harry said with a mischievous smile. "What was your brother about to say to Ron?"  
  
"Just nothing. Don't listen to him," she replied blushing.  
  
Harry gave Ron a knowing look and then proceeded to fill his plate with as much food as possible. 


	3. In which Hermione and Josh have a little...

IN WHICH HERMIONE AND JOSH HAVE A LOVELY LITTLE TALK  
  
"Why didn't you tell me he was here?" Josh yelled at his sister.  
  
They were in an empty classroom. It was late and Hermione had put a silencing charm on the classroom cause she knew that there would be a lot of yelling going on. Unlike her screaming fits with Ron, this needed to be kept secret.  
  
"Because I knew what you would do Josh," Hermione yelled back at her brother. "You'd get all happy about it and then just your heart broken. He's a Slytherin prat Josh. He's not the brother that you'd think he'd be. Remember, he wanted to stay with father!"  
  
"I don't care! You could've at least told me Merloyn! At least I'd be prepared!" he screamed at Hermione. He'd wanted to know what happened to his brother. The twin that had become evil at the young age of eight. He had wanted to escape but then he had bribed by their father. Power. That's what their father had promised each of them. He was too young to know anything and Merloyn had picked for both of them. They'd die before they crossed over to their father's side. He had made their life hell. He knew that Merloyn still had her scars from the whipping and he still had his from when the monster had caught them trying to escape. That was enough. He wasn't about to throw himself at their brother. The one that had driven his own twin to commit murder. The one that made them use desperate measures to escape. He tried to tell his sister that but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth. So all he did was yell.  
  
"I thought we had a deal Merloyn! No secrets from each other remember!" and he ran out of the room.  
  
"Well just remember Aquilis, don't come running to me if he turns out to be a prat!" she called after her brother.  
  
Pity she didn't know that there was someone in the room. Pity that someone was her twin. Pity he was now determined to talk to her.  
  
IN WHICH FAMILY CONFRONATATIONS ARE MADE  
  
This is it, he thought as he stalked the halls of Hogwarts looking for his long-lost twin, I'm finding her. She knows who I am. That's why she hates me even more that Potter does. Should've suspected something. And Aquilis – well Josh. How could I mistake him? It's not like that many people have that colour hair.  
  
He continued to stalk the halls. Their last lesson had finished so he couldn't catch her during a lesson. And this was too important. He couldn't wait another day. He needed her help, and he needed it now.  
  
There she is, he thought gleefully as he saw her walking in between her two best friends. Potter and Weasley. I didn't want to make a scene but I need to tell her now. Sister dearest, I really need your help.  
  
"Granger!" he called after her.  
  
She continued to walk.  
  
"Granger. I need to talk to you!" he called again.  
  
"Malfoy, get lost and leave her alone!" Weasley yelled back now mad.  
  
"C'mon Ron. Just ignore the git. You too 'Mione," Harry said.  
  
"Thanks Harry, you too Ron," she replied. She hated having to spend time with her twin – even if he didn't know the truth.  
  
"I'm not giving up this quickly," he muttered to himself. "I didn't want it to come to this but looks like they'll have to know."  
  
"MERLOYN ENSIS MALFOY!" he yelled at her on top of his lungs.  
  
She froze dead on the spot. The hall fell silent. Harry and Ron just stared at her. Well, them and about the other thirty people in the hall.  
  
"That got your attention sis," he said. "we need to talk."  
  
"Draco, I was hoping you'd never find out but know that you have then if you think you'd get me to join father then you're wrong. Aquilis and I are not going back," she sneered at him.  
  
Harry and Ron were puzzled.  
  
"Okay Hermione, could you please explain this. Why is Malfoy saying you're his sister. Why are you acting like his sister? And who's Aquilis?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well, it's easy Potter," Draco said. "I am saying she's my sister because she is my sister. She and Aquilis – the annoying brat –"  
  
"Don't you dare drag Aquilis into this!" Hermione – well Merloyn – snapped. "He already cries himself to sleep over mother. I am not going to let you treat him like that!"  
  
"I can treat him however I like Merloyn. He is my brother as much as yours. And don't forget I'm older. But I didn't come here to argue. I came here because of father. I need your help," her twin replied.  
  
"Hah! Older! By four minutes! And you think I'm going to help you! Remember the last time you needed my help. I'm not about to forget that easily Draco. Remember what you made me do to escape! You need help. Go to father and his Death Eater friends. Keep Aquilis and I out of it. You've already caused enough trouble. You know how long I've tried to stop you from finding out? You know how long I've hoped you'll change and we can go back to being the inseparable twins we used to be? Well, Draco Imminère Malfoy. You were evil when you were eight and you are evil now!" Merloyn Malfoy burst into tears and ran for the Gryffindor common room.  
  
Harry shot Malfoy one of the best death glares he could muster before running after his friend.  
  
"I don't know what you did Malfoy," Ron said, "but you're gonna pay." And with that he followed Harry. 


	4. In which Josh tells Harry a not so pleas...

N WHICH JOSH TELLS HARRY A NOT SO PLEASANT LITTLE STORY  
  
Okay, think rationally Harry, Harry Potter told himself, if 'Mione is really related to Malfoy and they really have a younger brother then that would be…  
  
"Josh! Oh sorry, didn't mean to bump into you mate," Ron said as he helped the young boy up from his extremely uncomfortable position on the stone floor.  
  
"Now Harry, we still need to figure out who this 'Aquilis' Malfoy keeps going on about is – or if he exists at all,"  
  
Harry was about to say that he had a theory when the pale eleven year old interrupted him.  
  
"Aquilis is me," he said. "And he's as real as me as well. But I don't know how you found out unless my sister told you. All great. I've said too much haven't I?"  
  
Harry grabbed the young boys arm as he was about to dash away.  
  
"No, you didn't say too much. Malfoy made quite a scene out of it in the hallway. But I think you have some explaining to do considering your sister doesn't seem to be in the mood," the elder boy said in a reassuring tone. "Now how 'bout we go into my prefects dorm?"  
  
The young boy stood and stared into the elder's eyes. Harry shuddered but didn't pull away from his gaze. He'd seen Hermione do this to some people. It must be a 'Malfoy' thing. They instantly didn't trust the person if they didn't keep the gaze. Heck, he'll never get used to Hermione being a Malfoy.  
  
He knows her well, Josh thought, otherwise he would've pulled away by now. She does this too. He seems really worried about her. But you can never trust too many people. I don't know why Merloyn's not interested in this one though. Well, whatever she thinks I trust him more than Weasley..  
  
"Okay," Josh finally said freeing Harry from the eye lock. "But I can't say I trust Weasley too much."  
  
Ron looked offended.  
  
"It's okay Ron," Harry said. "I'll go with Josh and you go find 'Mione okay?"  
  
"Okay Harry," Ron finally agreed. "But you have to promise you'll at least give me a brief on what he said."  
  
Harry looked down at the kid who was now giving him an 'you better not or the deal's off' look.  
  
"Sorry mate. But I can't promise you anything." Harry answered. Why did the kid have to have such powerful glares. By now he was pretty sure Hermione was quite capable of them too.  
  
The boys headed for the prefects dormitory and finally sat down on Harry's bed.  
  
"This isn't too hard for you is it?" Harry asked. "I mean 'Mione looked like she was gonna burst into tears at the mention of your childhood."  
  
"Don't worry 'bout it," Josh said. "You need to know. Merloyn might not like it but you need to know."  
  
"I just still can't believe the two of you are related to Malfoy. Well, no offence but you looked so much like Malfoy I could accept you being related but 'Mione?"  
  
"Yeah I know, but she doesn't really look like that," the small boy said and by the tone of his voice Harry decided to drop the 'Then what does she look like?' question.  
  
"I just have to ask. How did you get here? I mean like why run away? Malfoy's always going on about how his father's the best and all that."  
  
"Okay if you really want to know, but be prepared this is not a pleasant story:  
  
Father used to always whip us and starve us. He also made us go to a Dark Arts institution. Draco and Merloyn can both apparate and use pretty powerful Dark Arts charms. She was the one father and his helpers mainly focused on though. She had it worst off than any of us. She was their 'future tool'. Their 'killing machine'. They made her go through all these hand-to-hand combat courses and every time she did something wrong she was whipped. Then when she was ten she just figured she'd had enough. She tried running away tonnes of times but this time she was determined. She asked Draco if he wanted to come and he agreed. So the two of them planned while I kept watch on father. Every now and again I'd help with tactics. One day after Draco got whipped for asking father about muggles we decided that that was it. We couldn't wait any longer. We had to escape that night. But when we did go our brother sold us to father. We were both whipped twenty times each. He'd been bribed with power. Father promised him that he'd be the most powerful Death Eater ever. But then the next week we tried again. This time we kept Draco out of it. But Uncle Proterro caught us and Merloyn had to. .Merloyn had to……"  
  
The boy couldn't finish. He had burst into tears and now had his back to Harry. He could tell that he was ashamed to cry in front of a complete stranger. Let alone his sister's friend. He did the one thing his instinct told him to do. He grabbed the boys arm and squeezed it reassuringly. Josh looked up to be greeted by Harry' smile. He smiled back and began to wipe away his tears.  
  
"I don't get why my sister's not interested," he said to the elder boy before leaving. 


	5. In which this happens while Harry and Jo...

IN WHICH THIS HAPPENED WHILE HARRY AND JOSH WERE TALKING  
  
"Hermione!" Ron called as he ran up the stairs to the female Gryffindor dormitories.  
  
"I don't know what you did to her Weasley but I'm not sure you want to go in there. She's a mess," came a voice from behind. It was Kaitlyn Lachovsky  
  
"For once Lachovsky," he said. "It's not my fault. It's Malfoy's. They argued a lot about err… well, apparently they're twins? Anyway if you don't want me to then I won't. Looks like she'll just be coming down. HERMIONE GRANGER YOU ARE COMING DOWN RIGHT NOW!"  
  
He screamed the end and it seemed to have an affect because a teary eyed girl did walk down the marble stairs in front of him. But this particular girl he didn't recognise.  
  
The girl had on Hogwarts robes but she also had long, silver-blonde hair that passed her lower back. She was also quite tall with snake earrings – and quite a flattering body, Ron thought to himself. When she looked at him he saw that her skin was as pale as pale got and her eyes were a silvery- blue. She had a picturesque face even when it was stained with tears.  
  
I know all the prefects and she is NOT one of them, Ron thought, Bloody hell! She looks like oohh no…………Malfoy!  
  
"Hi, Ron," the girl gave him a forced smile.  
  
"Please do not tell me that's you 'Mione," he said more to himself than anyone else.  
  
But the girl did hear and replied anyway, "Well, no not exactly Ron. This isn't Hermione Granger. This is Merloyn Ensis Malfoy. Draco's younger twin sister - what I really look like. I'm still me though, I just look different. I'm so sorry Ron. I really am. But I couldn't keep my old name and looks. I was scared Draco would find out - but looks like he already has."  
  
She sat down and began to stare at the fire that was crackling in front of her. She and Ron were the only two in there for Kaitlyn had left  
  
"I suppose I should explain," she finally said still looking into the fire.  
  
Ron sat next to her and gently squeezed her shoulder. "You don't have to if you don't want to Hermione. I'm sure it can wait."  
  
"But it can't Ron," she said, turning around and looking straight at him. "I don't want to talk about it but it can't wait. Draco knows now and I wouldn't be surprised if father comes storming up here any minute now."  
  
"But c'mon Hermione - Merloyn. Oh, man I'm getting confused. Anyway no offence but you can't be that important to him surely? I mean I never expected him to be the fatherly type."  
  
"He's not Ron but he's also not one to lose a warrior. Ron, I used to be trained to kill people. You think Draco's evil. If I turned out the way they trained me to you'd be thinking he's a saint," she quietly said.  
  
"Now Hermione. Don't exaggerate. The only person that can make Draco Malfoy seem like a saint is You-Know-Who himself"  
  
"Yes, Ron. Voldemort and his original heir," she whispered.  
  
Ron was stunned. "Hermione. Now you're creeping me out. You can't be surely. You wouldn't hurt a fly. Well, maybe the ferret but nothing else!"  
  
"Ron, you don't understand. I told you. That's how I was trained. I'm not like that. But that's how they trained me. I'm better at all three of the Unforgivable curses than all of the Death Eaters put together. I'm better at hand-to-hand combat than Sirius, I could apparate at the age of 6, I..I……I…….m… m… m…m…murd…." She couldn't get herself to say it and instead burst into tears.  
  
"But I had to Ron, I had to get away. Aquilis and I both needed to get away. If Draco helped us it wouldn't have turned out like that. I needed to Ron, I had to, I had, to, I …..had…..to.."  
  
She was now a nervous wreak weeping uncontrollably. Ron did a very un-Ron like thing and pulled her closer to him in a tight hug. He ran his hand over her hair and kissed her forehead.  
  
"I understand if you and Harry never want to see me again. I mean, who needs a monster for a bestfriend? Ron you can go anytime you like. You don't have to do this," Merloyn said still weeping.  
  
"Hermione, Merloyn - you can call yourself anything and look like anyone you like - it' not gonna change anything. I love you. And I will always. You are not a monster. I'm sure you had to so just please calm down," he assured her, planting another kiss on her forehead.  
  
"Thankyou Ron. I can't believe ho understanding you are. No, don't get me wrong but you tend to not have much self esteem when you're a dark lord's rebel heir."  
  
"Exactly. See 'Mione? You're rebelling against him. You're nothing like him just you remember that okay?"  
  
Their faces were so close that they were almost touching. So close, Ron thought, I wonder what she'll do if I kiss her. No Ron, stop thinking like that. You can't. You just can't. Think of other things. Err.. roses - like her l……  
  
By then instinct fulling took over and Ron placed his lips over hers without realizing it.  
  
"Oh, sorry 'Mione. I really didn't mean to. Just forget it happened okay?" he panicked.  
  
You were sooo not meant to do that Weasley, he thought to himself.  
  
"No, not okay Ron. Not okay at all," she replied a grin plastered on her face before pulling his head in for a second kiss.  
  
She's kissing me! he thought, Hermione Granger is actually kissing me! No. Stop taking advantage of her Ron. She's upset she doesn't know what she's doing. What the heck. She's kissing me! 


	6. In which death glares and secrets rooms ...

IN WHICH DEATH GLARES AND SECRET ROOMS BECOME EXTREMELY HELPFUL  
  
It was a few days after the 'incident' as people put it. Draco and Hermione had managed to keep the rumours quiet by shooting anyone who even mentioned the other's name death glares and pretending to grab for their wands when the subject was mentioned. The Malfoy death glare they knew before was nothing compared to what the twins we capable of. Hermione was even better at it than Draco and after a week, the 'incident' might as well not have happened at all.  
  
One day Draco cornered Hermione at the back of the library and finally confronted her after a week of pretending she didn't exist.  
  
"Merloyn, we need to talk," he simply said and his twin seeing the pleading look in his eyes agreed.  
  
They walked along the corridors until they came across a statue of wood nymph. Draco knocked her head three times with his wand and then muttered a password. She suddenly sprung to life and moved away revealing the entrance to a small, stone and slightly lit room. The two teenagers stepped inside and the statue blocked the passageway again.  
  
"What did you want Draco?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I want to set a few things straight," he simply replied.  
  
"And those few things would be?" she asked.  
  
"The fact that I did NOT sell you out for one. Father pretended that I told him. He found out some other way. Merloyn you have to believe me. Please," he begged her.  
  
"Why should I?" she replied. "How do you expect me to believe you when father was all nice to you and you..you..you never even tried to tell me."  
  
"Don't you think I did? You wouldn't come any where near me and then father threatened to kill Aquilis if I told you. Merloyn, please. If you don't believe me believe this," he said and held up a small pewter dragon out of his pocket.  
  
Hermione just starred at it.  
  
"You..you..you..you actually kept it," she stammered.  
  
"Of course I did. It was the only thing I had that reminded me of you. Merloyn, please just give it a try. If you haven't thrown yours away already and then you'll see," he said.  
  
"O…o..okay. I give you this one chance Draco Malfoy. You should be grateful that thing's impossible to bewitch 'cause it's about the only things that'll convince me."  
  
She grabbed the small chain around her neck and pulled it over her head. Attached to it was a pewter hawk.  
  
"Now or never," she muttered to herself as she moved it closer to her twin's.  
  
The two pendants glowed blue then green until it turned into a D linked with an M.  
  
"Draco, you're, you're really back! Oh. I'm so sorry Draco, but you were such a prat!" she said before launching herself into his arms.  
  
Draco just smiled and hugged he back.  
  
"I've missed you so much Merloyn. I can't believe you were here all along. I still can't believe I was being so mean to you! But Merloyn," he said holding his twin out in front of him. "I still need your help. It's father. He wants me to join his ranks. He doesn't know about you yet but if Pansy finds out then we're dead. I need to escape. I don't care if I have to change my name and appearance Merloyn. I just need to get away,"  
  
IN WHICH THE TRUTH ABOUT UNCLE PROTERRO COMES OUT  
  
During the few weeks after their conversation Hermione and Draco had sneaked out to meet each other and plan Draco's escape. The few people who noticed the glances they had been throwing each other and smiles they exchanged every now and again spread rumours that they were having a secret love affair but those that mattered – Harry and Ron knew otherwise. Hermione had explained to both of them how her twin had acted that way because of their father. Because she couldn't be Voldemort's heir Draco had to take over and he had been having a hard time for he hadn't had the sufficient training. Ron and Harry didn't trust him at first but when they saw how close the two were when no-one was around they finally gave-in. They had also taken a while to get use to Draco calling their bestfriend Merloyn and just the fact that they were inseparable twins. During a particular 'secret meeting' which was this time in Hermione's prefect dorm they finally came up with a plan.  
  
"Merloyn, could you please just show me what you look like. It's just weird not knowing what your twin looks like," Draco pleaded to Hermione who was sitting next to him. They were pretty close and Ron was getting a bit jealous but he finally convinced himself that there was nothing to be jealous of – they were just twins.  
  
Hermione threw a questioning glance at him which no one understood for they hadn't explained about how Ron had seen the real Merloyn Ensis Malfoy.  
  
"Okay, Hermione. I'm only getting over it now but sure. It's a bit unfair anyway that I've seen you and your very own twin hasn't," he replied.  
  
"You've seen her before?" Harry asked.  
  
"Before me!" Draco exclaimed.  
  
Hermione shook her head. "Okay guys, well anyway. I'll change. Beware though, this could get ugly. The only person who's seen me do this before is Draco and he absolutely freaked out the first time – but we were only five," she said the last part at her twin's defence for she knew him all too well.  
  
Then slowly she began to change. Her skin gradually became paler as her hair lengthened and turned silvery blonde. Her figure became more athletic and her face longer. After a few minutes Draco, Harry and even Ron, who had seen her before, was starring in awe at Merloyn Ensis Malfoy. She was the feminine replica of Draco, or Draco the masculine replica of her. Their eyes were the same colour, their hair the same shade, their skin the same pale.  
  
"Oh man, oh man, oh man," Harry muttered to himself. "If I wasn't convinced that you're Malfoy's twin I am now."  
  
But Draco just cracked into a smile and threw himself at her in a hug.  
  
"That's more like it sis!" he exclaimed. "It'll be just like the old times again."  
  
Merloyn smiled in reply, "Now brother dearest, we need to get to business. I've been thinking, and I've come up with a theory. Instead of running from father, it might be easier to get rid of him altogether."  
  
Draco was shocked. "No Merloyn," he said. "I'm not having you repeat the 'Uncle Proterro' chronicles again. Especially not for me. I was there Merloyn, I saw you. It's not happening again."  
  
Harry and Ron, who didn't know about Merloyn's desperate mean of escape had a confused expression on his face.  
  
"You tell him Draco," Merloyn told her twin brother. "I want Harry to know but I just can't bare to repeat the tale again."  
  
"Okay, Merloyn. If you want me to. It's not a joyride for me either but it'll be easier for me than you. Does Weasley know?" he said.  
  
"No," Ron replied. "But I sorta guessed. Merloyn burst into tears before she could say anything."  
  
Draco gave his twin a look that no-one could interpret except for her.  
  
"Full," she finally said and her twin continued to tell the tale.  
  
"Well, it all pretty much started when father found out about our original plan of escape and then pretended that I had told him. Merloyn wouldn't talk to me after that and I really don't blame her. Then she got so desperate after father almost killed Aquilis that they just decided to go for it. They were in the south entrance and Merloyn was about to apparrate the both of them to muggle London – she was better at apparrating than our father! – when Uncle Proterro caught her. Then she struggled with him.."  
  
He looked at Merloyn who was looking at the ground. He gave her another 'Look' after squeezing her arm reassuringly.  
  
"Yeah, you're right Draco. I do need to tell this part of the story," she said looking at the door. "We struggled for a while he tried to knock me out but I kept shooting curses at him. I wasn't about to use the Avada Kedavra – yes Harry I'm better than all of those Death-Eating idiots at the Unforgivable curses – 'cause I wasn't exactly willing to commit my first murder at the age of ten, well at any age really, but he finally knocked the wand out of my hand when I was distracted by Aquilis. Then we launched into hand-to-hand combat. Like I told Ron, I was better than even say, the muggle Arnold Schwartzeneggar with a knife and that's exactly what we were doing. A ten year old and a 47 year old circling each other – one with a dagger and the other a sword. Well, I guess the training wasn't all wasted cause I threwthedaggeranditwentstraightintothemiddleofhisthroat! Then I actually walked up and twisted it. I twisted it! I twisted it!" she was crying again but this time she was semi-composed. Draco was squeezing her arm with his other arm wrapped around her.  
  
Harry and Ron were silent. They were occasionally throwing each other 'what the heck do we do now?' looks – they weren't very experienced in the art of 'how to conceal your looks'. When they weren't looking at each other their eyes were roaming around the room at anything but the two Malfoys.  
  
"But that's not I what I was planning," the female one finally said interrupting the uncomfortable silence. "I was thinking along the lines of putting him in Azkaban. By what he did to the two of us alone would land him a Death sentence let alone that he's a Death Eater!"  
  
"Well, we better tell Dumbledore now. He's going to do some Ministry work in Scotland on Tuesday and it's already Saturday!" Harry said.  
  
"Then what are we waiting for. Let's go!" Ron said and with that the four sneaked into the boy's dorm to wake Josh before going to the Headmaster's office. 


	7. In which we jam three short chapters tog...

IN WHICH DUMBLEDORE ER… DOES SOMETHING  
  
"So you mean to tell me that Miss Granger is actually Merloyn?" Dumbledore asked the four students. It wasn't that he didn't trust them or anything – he really did – but it was just hard to believe that he didn't sense it.  
  
Hermione stepped forward. "Yes Professor, I do. And this is Aquilis," she said pointing to Josh. "I think the best way to show you would be to perform a 'Em laeverious' spell after I show you this."  
  
She once again turned into Merloyn Malfoy and once Dumbledore performed the complex spell there was a huge smile on his face.  
  
"Merloyn! It really is you! I've tried to find you for so long. Did all I could to stop Voldemort and when I thought I lost all I find out that Voldemort's heir is on the Light Side!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Yes Professor, I am on the Light Side. I always have been and always will be. But the reason we came here is because of Draco. Father is determined that he be the heir of Voldemort. Luckily he doesn't know about Aquilis and I. We have to keep our cover though. Pansy Parkinson, we suspect, is one of the three spies here. That's not including Professor Snape of course. And father seems to be suspecting something by what I've gathered."  
  
Draco then stepped up behind his twin and hugged her from behind.  
  
"What she says is true Professor," he stated. "But father does not suspect anything. He thinks that I am definitely willing to be the heir of Voldemort. Though he is always telling me to be on the look-out for Aquilis and Merloyn – Merloyn especially."  
  
"Then Misters and Miss Malfoy, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley I will try my best to do what I can with the evidence you have given me (they gave him an envelope of stuff) and I ask you to please keep up the cover while you are in public. Thankyou."  
  
IN WHICH WE KNOW THIK: IF ONLY THEY KNEW HOW WRONG THEY WERE  
  
If only they knew how wrong they were. For inside the small, ominous cave (a.k.a Voldie's hide-out) an important conversation was taking place.  
  
Death Eater (he's concealed even I don't know who he is): Master, sources say that she is in Hogwarts. Pretending to be a mudblood. Shall I send for her?  
  
Evil, evil voice coming from place unknown: No, I think I know just who to send. Send in Rupert. He's perfect for the job.  
  
Not long after the Death Eater walked out a tall, red-headed boy of the age of 15 walked in.  
  
"Rupert, I need you to get Merloyn. Try to persuade her to join us. If she refuses dispose of her. You may do that however you wish," the voice said and with a quick nod of his head the boy apparated into Diagon Alley. 


	8. In which appearances surprise a particul...

IN WHICH SURPRISE VISITS COMPLETELY FREAK OUT A PAIR OF TWINS  
  
The Gryffindors had study period with the Slytherins. Draco was seated with Hermione, Harry, Ron, Fred and George. The other students didn't give them strange looks for Hermione and Draco had staged quite an Oscar Winning argument in which they – purposedly, yet not making it look like they're doing it – told everyone that Professor Sinistra made them study Astronomy together for Draco was having difficulties.  
  
The quartet had had to tell Fred and George the truth for the duo had stumbled across one of their 'secret meetings'. At first the two were positive that the rumours about the secret love affair were true and it took them almost forever to convince them otherwise.  
  
They were studying busily, well Hermione was studying busily while the others talked about quidditch and the boys staged a fight between Draco and themselves every now and again. It was during one of these fights in which Professor Snape decided to walk in.  
  
"Okay students. After Misters Potter and Weasley decide to stop harassing Draco I will introduce this new student. He's a new Slytherin so could we all please make him feel welcome. Especially you Draco. You are after all the Slytherin prefect."  
  
A fairly handsome boy walked into the room and most eyes stared at him. He had a trademark Slytherin smirk on his face and Harry and Ron were both thinking up perfect ways of wiping it off when Hermione and Draco decided to say something. Actually, it was one word.  
  
"Rupert," they said simultaneously though in different tones.  
  
To Draco, Rupert was the egotistic pig.  
  
To Merloyn on the on the other hand, he was a sweet boy and a great friend.  
  
"Don't tell him Merloyn," he said. "I don't trust him."  
  
After a few minutes of staring at the boy's eyes Hermione's smile faded and her voice was in whisper.  
  
"I never thought I'd hear the day Draco," she said. "But I don't trust Rupert either."  
  
The athletic boy walked up to the pair.  
  
"Hey Draco!" he said cheerily. "You too, Merloyn." He added totally blowing their cover. Eyes were staring and whispered rumours were being spread.  
  
-Do you remember their conversation in the hall? It must be true!-  
  
-Did you hear that Hermione Granger was related to Draco Malfoy-  
  
And even  
  
-Merloyn, isn't that Hermione Granger. Maybe she's a escape convict!-  
  
  
  
"How dare you!" Draco sneered. "I oughtta blast you into oblivion, McNamara."  
  
"Calm down Malfoy," he sneered back. "if anyone's gonna blast anyone into oblivion here it's me. And I have every right to say hello to my love don't I Merloyn?" he said.  
  
Ron noticeably paled. Harry and Draco were staring at her, mouth moving but mute. Merloyn on the other hand was red. Draco knew with anger but the others suspected with embarrassment.  
  
"I was never in love with you McNamara, never even liked you any more than a friend. But I regret even being your friend. I was there for you when you needed me but now you're a self centred prat working for Him! I should've known. And trust me if anyone is gonna blow anyone into oblivion it's neither you or Draco. It's me."  
  
The boy just laughed.  
  
"I see you still have the Malfoy sense of eye-reading. You and Draco were the only ones who could ever master it properly. But let's see who can win in the game of the real world. See you later, my love."  
  
He said the last words with a voice filled with seduction, venom, and hate all at once. Many more emotions as well, but none of them were love.  
  
Luckily for Hermione and Draco, Snape had left.  
  
Hermione was hurt. Rupert McNamara was the first real friend she ever had. She had lost him over to Him. Or maybe he was always with Him. Anyway she didn't know she could keep up this charade much longer. How could she look for comfort when her own twin was forced to sneer at her?  
  
"Remember, Merloyn," Draco whispered. "If someone on His side knows then we don't have to act anymore. They know. It's about time the others did too."  
  
With that in her mind Merloyn hugged her twin, getting startled looks from the Gryffindors and sneers from the Slytherins. But the Slytherins DID gasp when Draco hugged her back and pulled her even closer. The others just watched, startled that Harry and Ron hadn't done anything.  
  
"Get away from him mudblood!" came a high-pitched voice.  
  
There, towering over the two was none other than Pansy pug-faced Parkinson.  
  
"I'm sorry Pansy," Hermione replied. "But I've always thought I was pure- blooded."  
  
"How dare you., mudblood!" Pansy exclaimed. "You're lucky to be in the same room with us purebloods let alone be one! I think I'll teach you a little lesson. What do you think Drakiekins?"  
  
Draco was pretty mad. He never liked her much, but 'Drakiekins'? That was a little too far and now she was threatening his twin. He glanced at Hermione who nodded.  
  
"What I think Parkinson?" he spat out her name like it was venom. "STOP CALLING ME DRAKIEKINS. I'M NOT YOUR BLOODY BOYFRIEND AND IF YOU EVEN TOUCH A HAIR ON MY SISTER YOU DIE! Got that?"  
  
Pansy was stunned but then she gained composure and put on a worried expression.  
  
"Oh, poor Drakiekins what did the mudblood do to you? You know she's great at spells. You have to fight this Draco. She's not your sister. You're an only child remember?" then looking at Hermione she added. "You? Draco's sister? Ha. You don't even LOOK like his sister. You know why? Cause you're a low-life mudblood!"  
  
Hermione just smiled and put her hand on Draco's trembling arm. He was about to grab his wand but she had a better idea.  
  
"What do you think about revealing a lovely new side of me, dear brother?" she asked.  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other than at Pansy, trying to picture her in a few minutes time, then laughed. Draco nodded.  
  
"I take that as a yes from the two of you as well then, Harry, Ron?" she smiled again.  
  
"You bet!"  
  
"Sure thing!"  
  
Pansy was now standing awkwardly looking at the four, oblivious to the stares from EVERY one in the room.  
  
Slowly Hermione began to change. After a few seconds - she was getting better at this - she was again Merloyn Ensis Malfoy.  
  
"Does that clear your doubts Pansy?" she asked sweetly. "Oh, by the ways I'm don't look like much of a sister do I? That's cause I'm his twin."  
  
"You're not Draco's twin OR sister! You're lying mudblood! I know you're good at Transfiguration. You and McGonagall probably planned this together to get at poor Draco!"  
  
The four snorted and a few gasps were heard from behind Pansy.  
  
"What are you all laughing at. The cat brainwashed you Draco, don't listen to them. Oh, just you wait 'till I get at that stupid, cat woman! The thing's I'd do to her!"  
  
She now seemed pleased with herself. But not for long.  
  
"I'm sure Minerva will be glad to hear that Miss Parkinson. Now, I have given you permission to review your secret Draco and Merloyn, but I didn't really mean for it to happen this way. Although, after the narrative Miss Brown has given me, I see that you had to. Very well then. Everyone. This is Merloyn Malfoy, not Hermione Granger. She is the same person as Hermione Granger. Their personalities are exactly the same. She just looks like this and has a twin," came the cheery voice of Professor Dumbledore. "Now, Miss Parkinson. Could you please follow me."  
  
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..  
  
I posted the whole four chapters at once to try to make up for the long wait. Dad's computer - the one with the internet connection, had a virus so I had to wait to post this. Thank god I wrote all this on my computer! Well, TTFN and happy reading! 


	9. In which the Gryffindors and Slytherins ...

IN WHICH ALL THE GRYFFINDORS - AND SLYTHERINS - GET AN INSIGHT INTO PANSY'S PRIVATE LIFE  
  
It was a few weeks after the second 'incident' and all the Gryffindors and a few of the Ravenclaws - they had their 'sources' - knew what they thought was the truth. Hermione, Ron, Harry and Draco had made up a story where Merloyn, at the age of 5 and Aquilis, age 1, had been given to the nuns to look after while Luscius tried to nurse Draco and Narcissa back to health from a contagious disease. However, the nun, thinking that they were up for adoption had given them to the Grangers who moved to France for a while and couldn't be traced back. Merloyn, being the stubborn little girl she was wanted to stay with the Grangers so she changed her brother's name along with her own name and appearance.  
  
It was quite a stupid story but Lavender bought it and thus, by the end of day all the Gryffindors knew the story.  
  
Months passed and people grew to accept that the bushy-haired Hermione Granger was the silver Merloyn Malfoy. Draco spent more time with the Gryffindors for he finally had an excuse to get away from the (as he so conveniently put it) annoying evil slugs. Pansy had received a month's worth of detentions and was now officially - and eternally no doubt - in Professor McGonagall's bad book. The transfiguration teacher, who normally never singled out anyone and was fair to all, now constantly asked Pansy the hardest questions and did all she could to humiliate her in class. One particular day she did just that. Pansy Parkinson had been writing in her journal during class and consequently had the whole thing read to the class from cover to cover.  
  
  
  
14 August 2001  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
Guess what? There's a rumour going round that Marcus Flint is actually coming back! They say that he's gonna come and 'help' the useless oaf with the grounds-keeping duties. This is like, sooo cool. I mean like, I had this humungous crush on him and like, I still sorta do and I mean like, he oughta be the second hottest guy like ever! Draco's the hottest of course I mean like, that beautiful skin! And the hair, oh yeah like sooo the hair, I mean he's cute, hot, dangerous and mysterious all in one! Well, I've gotta go journal Blaise promised to show me this new shade of nail polish and if it's anything like what she described it will be like sooo cool!  
  
The future Mrs. Malfoy - I just know it!  
  
  
  
15 August 2001  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
Draco actually found his sister and it's that Mudblood Granger! Can't he tell that (I'm gonna change this into Latin because I don't want Millicent or whoever seems to have a habit of reading this to understand) pron e ego gesta pron ejus aedificatio apud proprius faux et prone ego gesta pron nunc!)  
  
At point Professor McGonagall, Pansy Parkinson and Draco and Merloyn Malfoy - the only people in the class that understood Latin, all had quite amazing reactions. Professor McGonagall let out a cry of "Miss Parkinson you're only fifteen!", Merloyn exclaimed "The Latin there was horrible but I understood all the same!", looked at her twin, then at Pansy and then just sat there in shock, Draco turned bright red and moved as far away from Pansy as possible - she was sitting right next to him, while Pansy just turned beet red and hid her head between her hands. Another entry read:  
  
25 August 2001  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
I'm slowly getting over Draco. He's not worth the bother. Though he is drop dead sexy! Even Blaise agrees. Vincent isn't that bad. He's a tad bit lump like but I guess he's hot in his own way. I was trying to set him up with Millicent but I think I'll keep him to myself. I can't call her mudblood anymore so I'll have to call her Malfoy until I can think of something better. Anyway, Malfoy seems to have stolen the only other guy I fancied. Ron Weasley; and she doesn't even realize it! But McNamara's come back at least. We were such friends when we were kids. He used to pretend that he was Merloyn's friend - yes I did know about Merloyn diary, but I still can't believe that it's really her! Anyway, he used to pretend that he was Merloyn's friend and tell me all her secrets. Then we'd pull pranks on her which was fun cause she never expected it to be Rupert! That time we stole Aquilis's bear and he got beaten for crying was a classic!..  
  
By then the bell had gone. Ron was blushing like hell and avoiding Pansy while Merloyn was punching Rupert in the face. "That's for Aquilis," she spat as she broke his nose, "that's for Draco," she continued as she gave him a black-eye, "That's for me," she kept going as she kneed him in the guts, "and this is for existing," she said as her foot connected with his crotch. "Oh yeah," she added as an after thought, making him scrunch up his eyes in preparation for the pain. "This is for Harry and don't tell me you don't know why." With that he saw a flash of blue and his world went black. 


	10. In which our fair heroine loses a loved ...

IN WHICH OUR FAIR HEROINE LOSES A LOVED ONE  
  
"I feel so sorry for you Draco," Merloyn said as the two walked down the hall. "I mean like the future Mrs. Malfoy, c'mon. And I totally can't believe what she wrote in that diary, I mean, she wants to, I'd rather not repeat it."  
  
Draco just looked at his twin.  
  
"I still can't believe you actually did that to McNamara! Thank god McGonagall wasn't there and we were the only four in the room!"  
  
We, were Ron, Merloyn, Draco and Rupert. The professor had left straight after giving out the homework to go to a meeting with the other professors so the students of Hogwarts had the chance run amuck for a few hours.  
  
"Well, don't tell me he didn't deserve it! I can't believe I was his friend even when you tried to warn me. God, I feel like such a twit," Merloyn replied.  
  
"I've gotta admit though, he had ME fooled for awhile," Draco said.  
  
"Enough chit-chat about the horrible past for now. What are we going to do with the free period?" came a cheery voice behind them.  
  
Merloyn jumped.  
  
"Ron! Don't sneak up on me like that!" she complained.  
  
The aforementioned culprit just grinned.  
  
"I love scaring you,"  
  
The two looked at each other for a bit then turned to Draco.  
  
"So, any ideas?" they said in unison.  
  
Draco, seeing the exchange of looks between the two decided that they might want - no, need - some 'alone time'.  
  
"Err… I just remembered. I've left something in the library. I'll catch up to you two later," he finally said before rushing off.  
  
Merloyn was suspicious. Her twin practically didn't even know where the library was; how he kept up his grades she would never know. Then deciding that having some time alone with Ron wasn't such a bad thing either she complied.  
  
"So, what do we do now?" she asked.  
  
Ron looked like he was having an internal battle.  
  
"'Mione," he started. He still called her 'Mione even after her change of identity. "I know it's a touchy subject and you probably don't even remember it but I was just wondering err… you know…about err….. thatdaywhenyoukissedme."  
  
Merloyn was shocked for a second then smiled.  
  
"Ron, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. Maybe we should just forget it ever happened,"  
  
They had unconsciously began walking and now found themselves in front of a room they had never seen before.  
  
"No, 'Mione. I can't. I just wanna know whether you meant it," he said then looked away.  
  
'Idiot,' he said to himself. 'You actually think she meant it? Err.. Earth to Weasley. You are poor, stupid and ugly!'  
  
Merloyn put her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Err.. Earth to Weasley," she began in a mocking tone. Another thing she had been taught was to have super sensitive hearing. "She did mean it. You're funny, smart and god damn cute!"  
  
Ron quickly spun around.  
  
"Pinch me, I must be dreaming. And like all my other dreams, any second now Aragog will come with his gang of fluffly pink bunnies and gobble me up. Five, four, three, two, on..!"  
  
Merloyn had clamped her hand over his mouth.  
  
"Filch!" she hissed. "And he's talking to someone. C'mon, in this room, he's about to pass."  
  
She opened the door behind her and they silently slid through.  
  
"That's a close shave. Thanks 'Mione," Ron breathed.  
  
He looked around to find that she wasn't there. He wasn't in Hogwarts anymore either.  
  
"'Mione?!" he yelled into the unyielding mist. There was grey mist as far as he could see. Just mist. He could feel the ground but he couldn't see it. Actually, he couldn't really see anything. His vision was getting blurry. He felt like he could just curl up into a ball and fall asleep when a voice interrupted his thoughts.  
  
"Ron!"  
  
It was a feminine voice.  
  
"RON!!" it called again, panic stricken.  
  
He recognized it. But where had he heard it before? God, his head was hurting. A throbbing pain. He was about to fall asleep, the voice could wait, when a nagging voice inside his head told him not to. She's important to you Weasley, it seemed to say. How can you forget her voice? You love her!  
  
'Mione. That's who it was. He knew she was familiar.  
  
"RON!!" it came again.  
  
""MIONE!" he yelled back.  
  
"RON! I can hear you. Where are you?"  
  
"I don't know. Mist. Grey mist. Everywhere. I don't know 'Mione, I'm sleepy. Head hurts. Nite 'Mione,"  
  
He heard a piercing scream. Then:  
  
"RON! I'll be back! Stay away from the raven! Don't go near it! Ron, I love you. Get off me you f…."  
  
That was all he heard for over-whelmed by the sudden sense of sleepiness, he had fallen asleep.  
  
  
  
IN WHICH APPEARANCES OF A LONG MISSED FRIEND AND EAVESDROPPING GO HAND IN HAND  
  
"Get off me you …..!" the poor girl attempted to yell but it came out as more of a "Grr ov e ou basfart!" courtesy of the hand on her mouth.  
  
"Now, now young lady. I will not have you talking like that to me or anyone else for that matter," the figure said letting go of her.  
  
"Sirius!" Merloyn cried after hearing the familiar voice. "What are you doing here?!"  
  
The elder man looked down at the girl.  
  
"How do you know my name? Better yet, what are you doing in a deserted part of the castle like this?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, of course you wouldn't know," she replied. "I'm Merloyn Malfoy, or you'll probably know me as Hermione, Sirius. But that doesn't matter, you can get the whole story from Professor Dumbledore later. The important thing now is that Ron's been kidnapped by Voldemort. I have to tell Harry and the others!" she said sounding exasperated.  
  
Merloyn felt a hand on her shoulder as she ran towards the door.  
  
"Well, I'm not sure who you are but you ain't going out there this quickly. There's a conversation going on out their and so far it's gonna come very useful," Sirius said before putting his ear to the door.  
  
"Can't you just forget about your eavesdropping for once Sirius? This is Ron we're talking about. Ron Weasley! He's been kidnapped by VOLDEMORT!!!! We have to tell the others!" she almost screamed at him.  
  
"Good thing this is soundproof, and yes I do care about Ron, I don't know why you do though, being a Malfoy and all. But would it shut you up if I tell you that the conversation involves Voldemort?!" he replied, irritated.  
  
That seemed to do the trick as Merloyn finally gave up - not without a loud moan and a dramatic wave of the hands, and pressed her ear to the door as well. The conversation they heard was a most interesting one:  
  
"You imbecile! I told you to injure the one she loved most, not his bloody bestfriend!"  
  
"Though you must admit that the spell was rather impressive ey, Luscius? And how was I to know that she loved Weasley and not Potter?"  
  
"You attend classes with her don't you? And you do have a brain don't you? Now he's disappeared and we have no idea where he is!"  
  
"It is not in your place to give me a tongue lashing Luscius. I accept punishment from the Master and the Master only."  
  
"You are an idiot, boy. Whether you like it or not. And revealing your secrets to her like that! How are you meant to win her back?"  
  
"By force, if necessary Luscius. But I'd prefer by intimidation. But this I know. She will not come easily, if at all. And don't you dare call me an idiot Malfoy. After all, who has the favour of the Master? Pansy, Crabbe, Moon and Nott will be on their way soon."  
  
"That matter concerns you and the Master. I want to know what the situation is with my son and daughter."  
  
"I would be ashamed to call them that. They are atrocious! And to think they're Malfoys. Hanging around trash like Weasley and Potter. Not to mention Finnigan, Patil, Brown and Thomas! Of course, that daughter of yours sure can pack a punch!"  
  
"I did not come here to hear you criticise my progeny but the public displays also disgust me. Do what you like to Draco as long as you return with Merloyn on our side!"  
  
"I simply told you my opinions for you asked for them. But now I must go, the finishing touches still have to be made to my lovely little surprise for Potter and our dear heiress-to-be!"  
  
On the other side of the door Merloyn was staring wide-eyed at Sirius Black.  
  
"We have to warn Harry and Draco! And what have those Slytherins got to do with this? What are they planning to do to me? I know those people. It's McNamara, how did he get out of the hospital wing so fast? And the other one's Father, the combination never produces something much less than deathly. This is bad. Real bad. My theory's just been confirmed. Raven's got Ron! Oh, no. This is all me god damn fault! I'm such an idiot! A total and absolute idiot! A…….."  
  
Sirius rolled his eyes at the young girl's sudden burst of appalling language and finally spoke up after she finished her long stream of self- insulting.  
  
"Now that you're quite done, I don't know why you care so much about my god- son and his friend. And I still haven't figured out why you haven't run away frightened by the ex-convict or why you said I knew you as Hermione yet but we have to go to Professor Dumbledore. I don't know who this Raven is but by the way you're raving on, if it's true, I don't want to imagine what he would do to poor Ron. So what are you waiting for Malfoy? Hurry up!" 


	11. In which Ron comes face to face with a n...

IN WHICH RON COMES FACE TO FACE WITH A NEW EVIL  
  
"Wh..who are you?" Ron stuttered as the wispy figure drew nearer.  
  
The boy was still in a world of grey mist and sleepiness. Come to think of it, he had just woken up. He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep, an hour, maybe a day. He could just barely remember hearing Hermione's voice telling him to stay away from the raven. Well, this man wasn't a raven. He mightn't even be a man. He was fast approaching now and mumbling to himself in a hoarse whisper. Unfortunately for Ron, his voice was too soft to be comprehensible.  
  
"Who are you?" Ron demanded again, this time getting a bit bolder.  
  
The man was standing over him now. Dressed in black velvet from head to toe he looking down upon the sitting boy with great interest.  
  
"Who am I? Shouldn't the question be who are you?" he said in a silky voice. "After all you are in my realm."  
  
He turned his back to Ron and pulled out a golden watch from the breast pocket of his muggle cloak. He muttered something to himself, put the watch away and spun around with lightning speed.  
  
"But of course," the man continued in the same manner. "You are Ronald Arthur Weasley. The 7th son of the 7th son. Constantly over shadowed by your siblings. Your friends. Even Miss Malfoy."  
  
Ron shook his head in disbelief. This guy didn't do his homework properly. "Knowing my name isn't that impressive you know. And anyway. I've got 5 brothers not six."  
  
"That's what you think my dear boy," the man answered. "Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George. But tell me; did you know about Scott?"  
  
"Scott? I don't have a brother named Scott. And you still haven't answered my question. Who are you? Working for Voldemort I'm sure. Well, don't even waste your breath. I'd never betray my friends!" Ron replied, angry at the man's riddle talk.  
  
"I can guarantee you that I do not work for Voldemort. As for your other question, you will learn the answer when you are ready. For now, you may call me Nevar. As for Scott, you stand corrected. My dear boy, Scott is as real as you are. He was born just before your eldest brother was. Whatever happened to him you ask? Well, you could say he.. passed away. You are the seventh son of the seventh son, my boy. You have immense power and I can help you unleash it. You don't want to hurt those 'friends' of yours now do you? What happens if you accidently unleash it and end up hurting them? I can help you. All you have to do is say yes and do me a little favour. Kill Draco Malfoy and Seamus Finnigan. You don't even like them that much. It's not much to ask in return of the safety of your friends and immense power." The man was circling around Ron now, his cloak billowing dramatically.  
  
"This is where you are wrong 'Nevar'," Ron spat. "They ARE my friends and my parents never had a kid before Bill. Now you're just getting on my nerves. If you can't help me get out of here then get lost."  
  
"If that's what you really want my boy," the man said solemnly before waving his hand…….  
  
~*~  
  
Ron's POV  
  
I'm floating above the library. Just floating. I felt like a pair of eyes, no hands, no nothing. Just a pair of eyes. All of a sudden my vision starts moving down and a little to the left. I'm hovering above a table now. There's a couple sitting next to each other. The girl has brown hair and she's surrounded by a pile of books while the red-headed bloke tries to pull the book she's reading out of her hands. God, they remind me of me and 'Mione. Wait, they ARE me and 'Mione. She puts the book down and gives me a peck on the cheek before standing up. I grab her hand and she pulls back screaming. What the heck? Her hand's covered in blisters. The world goes black. I here screaming. It's so loud I half to cover my ears. Oh yeah, I forgot. I have no ears. Bloody hell it's hot in here. My vision's coming back. What the hell? The library's on fire. Where's 'Mione. Oh god, she's on the floor next to Harry and Ginny. They're all dead. Burnt to a crisp. Where did 'I' go? Everyone's dead now. Just like 'Mione is. There I am. Why am I standing? Why aren't I burnt? Why am I laughing like a maniac. Oh shit, what that Nevar guy said. My 'powers'. They've gone psycho. I feel like screaming. Hey, I have a body again. I can still see it though. I'm floating still. God, please make this stop. I open my mouth and scream as loud as I can and try to close my ears. It's not working. My eyes won't close. I just keep screaming like mad. Something's shaking me. Please make this stop. Please make it stop…  
  
End POV  
  
~*~  
  
"RON! RON! Wake up. Please wake up. Stop screaming Ron! Please!" Merloyn yelled covering her beloved's mouth with one hand while shaking him with the other. They were in the Gryffindor common room and Seamus, Draco, Professor Dumbledore, Sirius, Neville, Ginny and Harry were crowded around the couch. Harry and Seamus had had to clear the room earlier on for Ron had appeared out of nowhere and seemed to be in a coma. But his coma state was far better than the one he was currently in. He had been screaming non- stop for five minutes and was still going, thrashing about as he did so.  
  
"Ron, it's alright. We're here. I'm here. 'Mione. You're in the common room. The Raven's gone Ron. Please stop screaming Ron. Please," Merloyn tried to calm down the screaming boy. All of a sudden stopped screaming and his eyes flew open. It took his eyes a while to adjust and he backed away as soon as his sight cleared up.  
  
"Get away!" he said in a hoarse whisper.  
  
"But it's us Ron. It's me 'Mione. Don't you remember?" Merloyn said, edging closer.  
  
"I said get away! I'm dangerous. Get away!" he demanded once again when Harry moved up next to Merloyn.  
  
The traumatized boy now slid of the couch and continued to back away.  
  
"Ron, remember me mate? C'mon. It's me, Harry. You're not dangerous Ron. You're our friend. C'mon Ron," Harry said.  
  
Merloyn held up her hand and motioned for the others to leave. To their surprise Professor Dumbledore obliged and the others followed suite.  
  
"Ron, what's wrong?" Merloyn said as she turned herself back into Hermione. "Is this better?" she asked.  
  
Ron had now backed into a corner and looked extremely horrified at the thought of her coming closer. He curled himself into a ball and prepared for the worst as her hand touched his cheek.  
  
"See Ron? It's alright. Nothing's gonna happen." Hermione smiled.  
  
Ron uncurled himself and Hermione gave him a hand. He hesitantly took it and she pulled him up into a hug. Ron seemed to calm down a bit and held her tightly.  
  
"Ron, it's okay I'm not going anywhere. What's wrong Ron? Please tell me. Seeing you like this is really scary. I love you Ron," Hermione whispered into his ear while running her finger through his hair.  
  
"F.fi..fire," Ron stuttered. "All dead. You, Harry Ginny. I k..killed you all. Nevar was right. He said my powers would hurt you. Said I had to kill Draco and Seamus and he'd help me. 'Mione. I'm dangerous. What happens if it comes true?"  
  
Hermione pulled Ron and herself onto the couch. She leaned her head on his shoulder and he leaned back into a lying position, pulling her down with him. His arm was wrapped around her unconsciously and her fingers continued to play with his hair.  
  
"Ron, it won't come true. You'd never do that. Even if you were dangerous Ron. That's a risk I'm willing to take. You've gone through a lot. Just go to sleep. It'll all be okay. You don't have to worry."  
  
And with that the young couple fell asleep in each other's arms. 


	12. In which Dumbledore sheds some light on ...

**IN WHICH DUMBLEDORE SHEDS SOME LIGHT ABOUT RAVEN AND REALMS**

"So who IS this Raven guy anyway?" Harry asked.

They were in Professor Dumbledore's study. They, being Ron, Merloyn, Seamus, Draco, Professor Dumbledore and the aforementioned Harry. The students had decided to come to the Head Master for advice as Ron had returned to his hysterical state as  soon as he woke up. Merloyn knew it was too good to be true. The speedy recovering, especially one after being in Raven's grasp. He kept away from everyone, Merloyn in particular as she was the one he loved most and the one who seemed to unleash his 'power' in the dreams. Ron was now deathly pale and didn't look much more than a bag a bones from lack of food. His hair was even beginning to pale, while his freckled became more noticeable than ever. And this all in a period of 24 hours. Merloyn had begged him time after time to eat or talk to her but it was no use and she too was now refusing to eat. No one understood how he could've gotten so worked up over a dream but Merloyn had warned them that Raven, or as he had called himself Nevar, had powers that could only be imagined by others. She had said that he had a way of making dreams so life like that you sometimes got them mixed with reality. Ron had had to be excused from lessons the day before as he was getting worked up if anyone even came within five metres of him. The traumatized boy was currently seated in a far corner - it had taken much coaxing on Merloyn's part for him to come.

Merloyn looked over at Professor Dumbledore as if to say 'you tell them'. 

"Well, Harry. By what I've heard, Raven is a type of Molwordenack. A type of demon crossed with a warlock you might say. Or in his case a warlock who has turned himself into a demon to gain more power. We of the light side know him as Raven, which is what he used to call himself, but now he goes by the name of Nevar to trick unexpected victims. He has created a realm of his own, which the Order of the Phoenix has imprisoned him in, though it seems that he has some how found a way of opening the door back to this realm, the realm in which he originated. Now you may think that this has no relevance to Mr. Weasley's case but we MUST find away to trap Raven in his realm. He is a most deadly force, worst than Voldemort, worst that Grindelwald himself! He has the power to persuade minds and persuasion is one of the most lethal powers when it is accompanied by evil. He has the power to persuade people to do almost anything with his voice. Only the most powerful and trained wizards can escape it and even then sometimes we find it hard. He could persuade Mr. Potter to attack Miss. Weasley or Mr. Finnigan to murder Miss Patil and both of you would perform the deed without a second thought. At least at that time. You see, we are not the only realm in this 'universe' as we call it. A new realm can be created in two ways. The first and most common way is that a realm is automatically created when a historical event can have two conclusions. The universe started as one realm but as the it wore on things began happening and new realms were formed. Say there was a planet, the first life on it was a male manticore. Alas! A new realm is formed in which the first life on that very same planet was a female manticore, and so on and so forth. Right now there is a realm in which Harry did not survive Voldemort and one in which Tom's father had not left his mother and Lord Voldemort is a muggle neurosurgeon. The main question that I cannot understand is the fact that Raven has asked Mr. Weasley to murder Mr. Finnigan. I understand why he wants Mr. Malfoy to be disposed of, as he is Merloyn's closest relative and as much as I hate to pressure you dear, Merloyn, you ARE the key to the survival of this realm. The realm in which everything other realm sprung from. Raven as I may have guessed, wants revenge on the Order of the Phoenix, on the people of the light side, but to do that he needs the help of a laudabilis and Meloyn is the only one for another six millennia," Dumbledore concluded.

"But Professor, you still haven't really answered the question. We now know HOW Ron became like this and what we have to do but WHO is Raven exactly? So far we've established that he's a Molwor-something-or-other and that he turned himself into a demon to gain more power. He calls himself Nevar and he hates the Order of the Phoenix because it locked him in his realm. Oh yeah, and that he has the power to persuade people to do things they normally wouldn't do but that's all. What does he look like? What is his realm like? What IS the second way of creating a realm?" Seamus asked. 

The others were impressed by his memory and comprehension  for they could barely take in what had just been said. That was all except from Merloyn who was now staring of into space with an expression of anguish. 

"And what's a laudabilis anyway?" Harry asked. 

He seriously missed Ron even though the boy was just sitting in the same room as him. Harry was willing to do anything, and he meant ANYTHING to help his friend. Seeing Ron there like that, there in body - even though barely, and his mind seemed to have been replaced by that of one of those street urchins he had seen when his aunt and uncle had dragged him into London for Dudley's birthday. One of those boys who had had been bashed all their lives and were now scared to come even a metre in the vicinity of another living being. Be it animal or human. What happened to the old Ron? Harry wanted to know. What happened to the fiery 

red-head who used Victor Krum's figurine as a voodoo doll, the one who threw sarcastic comments and brushed himself against the object of his affections as often as he could. Most of all, what happened to the Ron Weasley that was his bestfriend? 

Harry was used to being the one in the spotlight. Not that he minded the spotlight moving on to someone else, but when the spotlight dragged the pain and suffering along with it, and to someone like his bestfriend, he couldn't stand it. No, the spotlight that had shone upon him held more glory than suffering. After all it was just a battle every now and again, he never had to see the one he loved in a traumatic state, or fight the practically supreme evil with an evil father and his master hot on his tail. Merloyn had it a lot worst than he had ever had it and right now Ron was no better off. Harry was determined to make sure that Merloyn knew that she wouldn't be fighting this fight alone. That even if the spotlight shone on her he was gonna be there, behind the curtains, helping her with her role and reaching out an invisible hand when she stumbled. As for Ron, well, if he couldn't pull him back into his old self then heck, Harry James Potter was gonna die trying.

Merloyn was staring at the beautiful view outside. Why couldn't she be there? Why couldn't she just be Hermione Granger? Plain old Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's brain of a side-kick. The one that looked after the hero, not the hero herself. Ron was like this because of her. He was the traumatized, ticking bomb that would explode at the first touch. All this because she was a god damn laudabilis. No she was THE god damn laudabilis. The only one for another six millennia. Why couldn't Raven wait a measly six millennia? Oh yeah, even Molwordenacks had a life span. His just happened to be 20 millennia. It was now his 16th and the clock was ticking. Tick, tock, tick, tock. Was the clock counting up to the end of his life, or the end of this emotionally exhausted laudabilis?  Why the heck did she have to be a god damn laudabilis anyway? She wasn't the heroine type. She wasn't the angelic type either. And the only one for another six millennia? That meant she NEEDED to defeat this, this thing. Because the life span of a laudabilis was the same as that of an average witch, 200 years at the most. All the information she had gathered would be destroyed after she died. That was just how things was. In six millennia's time there probably wouldn't be any English. It would probably be the type of language like Ancient Egyptian. They think they know what they're reading - even though barely, and had they even interpreted it correctly and were they really sure that it wasn't just a coincidence that the text became words when they interpreted it using that formula? She was gonna destroy Nevar. That she knew for sure. She'd drink unicorn's blood to give her more time if need be. Stuff the fact that her life would be cursed. This wasn't about her, who cared about her? It was about Ron, about Draco, about Harry, about her mother, about Nevar's past victims and most of all it was about the future of the light side. If Nevar won this battle, this war, then that was that. Even if Grindewald came back to life along with Atila the Hun and Voldemort came back to full power, the three reverted to the Light Side and then joined forces with Dumbledore, Merlin and Nicholas Flamel they still wouldn't be able to defeat him. No, they didn't have to trap him back in his realm, they had to destroy the monster of a warlock. How someone, no something, could be this powerful she didn't know but what she knew was that it had to be destroyed. That she had to destroy this thing, grind it in a blender for all she cared, just destroyed it. And she needed to do the deed while it was still getting reacquainted to its old powers. While it was still overwhelmed by this new world. While it was still testing ways of dragging people into his realm, and at this rate, he could conquer the world while he was still trapped in his realm if she didn't do something. And do it fast. Suddenly a single and desperately idea pierced her mind.

She dashed out of the room and headed straight for her prefect's dorm.

**IN WHICH THE TEAM DECIDES THAT A PLAN _MUST  BE MADE  
  
_**

"Merloyn?" Dumbledore said as the flash of silver brushed past him. 

He hadn't answered the questions yet and before anything he heard a cry of "Oh shit!" then another flash of silver had passed him. Then after that a flash of black. The others sat there stunned, while Ron sat, melancholy and slumped in the corner. His face was that of a pained boy, a boy that suspected that the one he loved was going to do something dramatic and risky, that she was doing it for him, that he couldn't do anything about it, and strangely enough, that he didn't quite understand it all and that he was completely out of his mind. Otherwise he would've gotten up surely, he would've risked those dreams coming true to attempt to stop her. Ronald Weasley truly and deeply loved Merloyn Malfoy and vice versa. Professor Albus Dumbledore, current Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Order of Merlin First Class, first rank member of the Order of the Phoenix, knew this for sure.

_The Prefect's Dorm_

"You don't want to this Merloyn,' Harry pleaded.

Draco had explained his suspicions to the other boy on their sprint here and it had been confirmed when they walked in to find a room full of incense, flowers, cloth, candles and a dagger, with Merloyn in the process of putting all the objects into the shape of a circle.

"Don't I Harry?" she replied desperately. "Don't I? Don't I want to save Ron? This might be the only chance Harry. You don't understand. Its evil. Its powerful. And those combinations don't go nicely together. It's not a fairytale, life. Love won't defeat evil, and it's the meaning of evil. If you've seen the thing's it's made people do. But this is the real world, and sacrifice could work. He's confused enough to fall for it. I would do anything to save Ron Harry, you should know that. And I'd still do it if the level of success was only 7%. But this has a high chance of success and what's a life worth? Is a single life really worth another's? A million other's? The fate of the whole Light Side? I don't think so Harry and this is the only solution I can come up with so if you have a better idea than tell me or otherwise step out of the way."

Draco was standing in the corner. Harry plainly did not need him and he didn't want his twin to feel outnumbered.

"All I know is that what-ever a laudabilis is, you're important to this war, that you're not thinking properly, that this still has a big chance of not working and that," he sighed. "You'll be no good to us dead."

The girl burst into tears and threw herself at her bestfriend.

"What else can I do Harry?" she whispered. "What's the point of being a god damn laudabilis if I can't do anything. If I can't even get the one I love out of a trauma? If I can't do anything?! I'm useless! I'm absolutely useless!" 

She was getting more desperate now and her body was shaking jerkily as tears streamed down her face.

"You're not useless sis," Draco said stepping out of his little corner. The emotional outburst had been his queue.

"You're great. You're the most amazing person I know and I know a lot of people. You're smart, caring and as far as I know you're a great laudabilis," he continued.

"Then why can't I do a god damned thing? Why can't I do a bloody thing?" she continued to sob.

"Because you CAN do something Merloyn," Harry replied. "The only thing is that we don't know WHAT it is we need you to do but I promise you this, you CAN do something. You've already done lots of things. You've saved my life countless times, you've helped Draco with your father, you've become the best student Hogwarts has ever had. And in the long run those things count. You can do something Merloyn, the only question is what."

"What we need," Draco concluded, walking around the two. "Is a plan."


	13. In which the team decides they need a pl...

**IN WHICH THE TEAM DECIDES THAT A PLAN _MUST  BE MADE  
  
_**

"Merloyn?" Dumbledore said as the flash of silver brushed past him. 

He hadn't answered the questions yet and before anything he heard a cry of "Oh shit!" then another flash of silver had passed him. Then after that a flash of black. The others sat there stunned, while Ron sat, melancholy and slumped in the corner. His face was that of a pained boy, a boy that suspected that the one he loved was going to do something dramatic and risky, that she was doing it for him, that he couldn't do anything about it, and strangely enough, that he didn't quite understand it all and that he was completely out of his mind. Otherwise he would've gotten up surely, he would've risked those dreams coming true to attempt to stop her. Ronald Weasley truly and deeply loved Merloyn Malfoy and vice versa. Professor Albus Dumbledore, current Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Order of Merlin First Class, first rank member of the Order of the Phoenix, knew this for sure.

_The Prefect's Dorm_

"You don't want to this Merloyn,' Harry pleaded.

Draco had explained his suspicions to the other boy on their sprint here and it had been confirmed when they walked in to find a room full of incense, flowers, cloth, candles and a dagger, with Merloyn in the process of putting all the objects into the shape of a circle.

"Don't I Harry?" she replied desperately. "Don't I? Don't I want to save Ron? This might be the only chance Harry. You don't understand. Its evil. Its powerful. And those combinations don't go nicely together. It's not a fairytale, life. Love won't defeat evil, and it's the meaning of evil. If you've seen the thing's it's made people do. But this is the real world, and sacrifice could work. He's confused enough to fall for it. I would do anything to save Ron Harry, you should know that. And I'd still do it if the level of success was only 7%. But this has a high chance of success and what's a life worth? Is a single life really worth another's? A million other's? The fate of the whole Light Side? I don't think so Harry and this is the only solution I can come up with so if you have a better idea than tell me or otherwise step out of the way."

Draco was standing in the corner. Harry plainly did not need him and he didn't want his twin to feel outnumbered.

"All I know is that what-ever a laudabilis is, you're important to this war, that you're not thinking properly, that this still has a big chance of not working and that," he sighed. "You'll be no good to us dead."

The girl burst into tears and threw herself at her bestfriend.

"What else can I do Harry?" she whispered. "What's the point of being a god damn laudabilis if I can't do anything. If I can't even get the one I love out of a trauma? If I can't do anything?! I'm useless! I'm absolutely useless!" 

She was getting more desperate now and her body was shaking jerkily as tears streamed down her face.

"You're not useless sis," Draco said stepping out of his little corner. The emotional outburst had been his queue.

"You're great. You're the most amazing person I know and I know a lot of people. You're smart, caring and as far as I know you're a great laudabilis," he continued.

"Then why can't I do a god damned thing? Why can't I do a bloody thing?" she continued to sob.

"Because you CAN do something Merloyn," Harry replied. "The only thing is that we don't know WHAT it is we need you to do but I promise you this, you CAN do something. You've already done lots of things. You've saved my life countless times, you've helped Draco with your father, you've become the best student Hogwarts has ever had. And in the long run those things count. You can do something Merloyn, the only question is what."

"What we need," Draco concluded, walking around the two. "Is a plan."


	14. In which evil and good has no difference

**IN WHICH EVIL AND GOOD HAVE NO DIFFERENCE**

It had been a few days since the last encounter and the same people were at another meeting. Well, all except Ron, who was in the dormitory curled up in a ball. This time though, the meeting took place in a part of Dumbledore's study they had never see before. There was a round mahogany table in the middle of the room with exactly thirteen red velvet chairs around it. Carved and embroiled on both the chairs and table were pictures of a phoenix. Also on the chairs were names engrave in gold. Going widdershins from the top chair were the names, Albus Dumbledore, Argutice B. Pienter, Rhaetia V. Silvcornis, Torrin J. Obodère, Severus Snape, Minerva H. McGonagall, Alastor Moody, Remus Lupin and Sirius L. Black. The remaining chairs contained place cards of, Harry J. Potter, Seamus K. Finnigan, Draco I. Malfoy and Merloyn E. Malfoy. There was also a small red sofa and a fire place near the front of the door. Dumbledore waved his hand in a dramatic gesture towards the table. "This, is the conference room for the Order of the Phoenix," he explained. "I have contacted the members about our, shall I say, situation and they shall all assemble here within the next hour. Harry, I'm sure you'll be glad to meet one of the members of the Order. You can come in now old pal."

In walked Sirius Black, clothed in a black robe.

"Sirius!" Harry cried. "Great to see you. How come you didn't come before? Merloyn said she saw you."

The elder man shook his head. "I still don't get it with that Merloyn girl. What is it with her and how come I haven't seen Hermione around?" 

"You STILL haven't told him?" Merloyn asked Dumbledore who just answered with an innocent smile.

"Sirius, sit down." Harry instructed. 

He looked confused but obliged anyway.

"Merloyn, you'll probably have to help with this," Harry said looking at her before turning back to Sirius and explaining the whole dilemma. Sirius wouldn't believe it at first but after the 'trick' was performed by Merloyn and after he stared into space for almost a literal five minutes he was convinced. One by one the members of the Order arrived. Remus walked through the door in a black robe accompanied by a young, dark haired woman in midnight blue. The students soon found out that she was Rhaetia Silvcornis, the Dark Arts specialist. The Asian Torrin Obrodère, the Charms specialist, soon arrive clothed in red silk. Professors McGonagall and Snape walked through the front door together complaining about each other's houses and Alastor (Mad-Eye) Moody soon followed suit, muttering about arson. Merloyn assumed they were waiting for another wizard or witch for there was still a chair left over and she was proved correct when an elderly man clothed in a star patterned electric blue walked in the door with the assistance of a cane. He looked almost identical to Dumbledore, just about twenty years older. The room silenced at his entrance and with his approval they all filed in to their seats before announcing their names in a deocil direction.

"As you have all been informed," Dumbledore started, "Raven has returned and if we do not conquer him before his return to full power we shall never succeed. We have in our in our company the only laudabilis in existence, Merloyn Ensis Malfoy, but she will not be able to be of much help if we cannot formulate a plan. A spy of Voldemort's has been caught, and he claims to have some information about the Molwordenack and we shall use Veritaserum on him during this conference. Raven has consequently  traumatized a boy, loved one of Miss. Malfoy, by kidnapping him into his realm and placing illusions into his head that he has a destructive power that cannot be controlled."

Murmurs spread around the table as the chairman finished his speech.

"We all know subsequent information about Raven so why don't you bring the infiltrator in for questioning?" Argutice suggested and the others nodded.

With a clap of his hands the door swung open and in walked none other than Rupert McNamara, and a pair of ghost guards.

"Severus," Dumbledore regarded, and the aforementioned walked towards the shivering boy and poured the contents of a glass vial down his throat. After making sure the boy swallowed every drop the Potions master returned to his seat.

"Argutice, if you would," Dumbledore said to the elderly man who gave a nod in reply.

"What do you know about Raven?" he commanded.

"The Master says he is gaining power. He is feeding upon souls dark and light alike. We had to sacrifice Pansy, Crabbe, Moon and Nott to him so that he would spare us. The Master has promised him others but is afraid that he will attack us when he regains sufficient power. His appearance is that of a man. Dark haired and fair clothed in Victorian style robes. He calls himself Nevar though the Master regards him as Benzoate. He has the power to dig into our deepest fears, desires and our innermost secrets and give power to them. He can also take people into his realm when they are most vulnerable or unguarded though he cannot touch a laudabilis without his or her consent. The Master is also looking for this laudabilis. Nevar suspects that Merloyn Malfoy is the laudabilis," McNamara said in a far-off tone.

"How did he feed on his victims?" Pienter continued.

"He turned himself a ball of light before entering the mouths of the chained Nott, Moon and Crabbe in turn though he treated Pansy in a different manner."

"And what was that manner?" 

"He turned himself back into his human form and began to caress her before he seemingly sucked her soul from her mouth."

"Has he come into contact we any other followers of Voldemort other than yourself and the sacrifices?"

"Yes."

"How many?"

"One."

"Who?"

"Finnigan"

Heads snapped to where Seamus sat.

"No, no. It's not me. Even ask him. It's not me," he said panicked.

"What is his first name?"

"Albert"

"DAD!" Seamus exclaimed. "Oh shit, oh shit. I can't believe he would do that. Could you please ask for the middle name?"

"What is his middle name?"

"I'm not sure. Something beginning with C"

"I'm doomed!" Seamus exclaimed.

"I'm sorry about that Mr. Finnigan but we must continue with the questioning," Dumbledore said before the questions began again.

"What did Raven do?"

"He projected an illusion of Parvati Patil and proclaimed her his innermost desire when Finnigan had questioned his power."

" I have to interrupt," Rhaetia said suddenly. "I think we should excuse Mr. Finnigan from the rest of the questioning. I'm sure he is quite stunned and disgusted by his father's actions."

Seamus merely nodded and left with the young woman after Dumbledore had showed his consent.

Then Professor Dumbledore did a very strange thing and tapped his ears, eyes and nose twice with his fingers.

"What is your innermost desire?" 

"I didn't agree to tell you those things! Don't tell me you spent the whole time asking those questions!" McNamara suddenly exclaimed snapping back into liveliness. 

And that was the end of the questioning, for as Professor Dumbledore had clearly guessed, the affects of the Veritaserum were over but all previous answers to the questions Argutice assured, were under the affect of the potion.

"Wait," McNamara suddenly said as he was about to be led away. You promised me protection if I answered your questions, and I demand your side of the bargain be upheld."

"Don't worry Mr. McNamara," Dumbledore said with a smile. "It will be indeed upheld."


	15. In which powers are revealed

**IN WHICH POWERS ARE REVEALED**

It had been weeks after their encounter with the Order, as Professor Dumbledore liked to put it and the students had sent an owl to Arthur and Molly Weasley requesting information about the existence of 'Scott'. They received a reply two days later. The new Weasley family owl (which Bill had bought them for an anniversary present) had landed in Merloyn's porridge, it's black elegance intact. Hastily she had opened the envelope to find a reassuring note and another piece of parchment addressed to Ron. The note read as follows:

Hermione dear,

After receiving your information Arthur and I were quite stunned by the state poor Ron is in. But rest assured, I shall do my best in the letter attached to convince him otherwise. I shall trust you to use any or all of the information in Ron's letter as you may see fit.

The best of wishes,

Molly

She quickly informed the others before running up to the boy's dormitory where Ron currently was as he refused to be around so many people.

~*~

"RON!" Merloyn screamed. "GET THE HELL DOWN FROM THERE!"

the fifteen year old was shocked to see the figure of the one she loved standing on the window pane. The windowpane of a 400-foot high Gryffindor Tower Boy's Dormitory to be exact. What the heck was he doing up there? Then it dawned on her. Curse that Raven! It had made him try to end his own life for Merlin's sakes! Hadn't Raven already done enough to her? Hadn't it already done enough to him? It had reduced the energetic red-head to a mute bag of bones with the horrendous dreams that it forced into his mind every night. Dreams that as fat as she knew were so life like tha they had convinced him that he had a terrible power that coild be unleashed involuntarily at anytime. Dreans that filled his mind with false paranoia that made him worst that the most serious schizophrenics. And most of all, dreams that made him clamorous for a few minutes each night. Dreams that made him let out a bloodcurdling scream that no human being should be able to scream. And damn that Raven because she couldn't comfort Ron due to his paranoia. Damn that Raven to oblivion!

Oh, what she wouldn't do to just touch that soft red hair that had been replaced by a mop of faded orange.

CURSE THAT RAVEN!

The emaciated figure of Ron crept weightlessly down form the window, onto Harry's bed and silently slipped into the shadow at the corner of the room. He sat down, trembling, legs bent in front of him with his arm wrapped around them as if they were his only shield against a blood thirsty monster. _Now tell me, _Merloyn thought to herself, _how can he possibly think himself a murderer when he acts like this? Oh Ron, this is all my god damn fault! Ron, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry Ron, so sorry.'_

"Ron" she finally said, fighting the urge to come closer, "Your mum's sent us a letter. You're not dangerous Ron, don't worry. You'll be okay."

The silent figure didn't budge.

Merloyn sighed in disappointment. "I'll leave it on your bed."

She saw him back away even further when she walked forward to put the parchment away. 

"Ron, please come back," she whispered tearfully. 

~*~

The enigmatic figure cautiously glided towards his bed and picked up the folded parchment. Something 'Mione had touched. That was the closest he ever dared get to her now a days. The dreams were getting more life every night and in every one he would wake up screaming. He wished he could just hug her one more time, cling onto her for support. But he couldn't risk that. He couldn't risk hurting her, killing her. As fas as he was concerned those dreams were no longer dreams, they were prophecies, a warning written in red every time. DON'T GO NEAR THEM.

But wasn't it a bit _too_ obvious? A little voice inside him said. And prophetic dreams aren't meant to be obvious. Or that frequent either. And 'Mione and Dumbledore seemed to know what they were talking about at the meeting. And that first night, when he fell asleep with her on the couch. Nothing happened right? So what is there to say that something will happen. Maybe, just maybe, they were right. Maybe it really was all Raven's doing. He only started having those dreams after the encounter after all. And look at all the pain it was causing her. She looked on the verge of tears every time she saw him. Did she feel unwanted? Like it was somehow her fault? _Don't feel like that 'Mione, that's not what I want. _

What the heck, if his mother's letter was convincing enough he'd give it a shot. He mightn't go to the library or study with her in a hurry but he'd give it a shot. He'd touch her hand and see what happened. Worst comes to worst and it starts coming true he'll keep a knife handy. _I just hope it all works out_, the figure thought to himself.

Reluctantly, the boy unfolded the parchment and began to read.

Ron dear,

Hermione wrote to me a few days ago and told me about the dreams you were having.  Your great grandfather Albert helped the Order fight Raven dear, and that demon is not to be trusted.  The power that he described to you is called Argepenice. You can look it up in 'Powers Unleashed' by Bethesda Blownapart if you like. It's a power passed down through the female side of the family so Ron dear, you're safe. Bill was the first child your father and I ever had. Then there was Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, yourself and Ginny. Your father only had two sister s and a brother. Aunt Katie, Aunt Caitlin and  Uncle Doug. You met them all a few Christmases ago remember dear? I on the other hand, have six brothers, Ricky, Manfred, Donald, Malcolm, Tom and Johnathan. So I suppose you've guessed it dear but I want to explain a bit more first. The power can be unleashed dear, but only voluntarily and it's not that powerful. The person can move objects and read people's minds when they want to. That's all dear. So as you can see, the power can't do very much and it definitely can't destroy whole libraries and such. Ginny doesn't know about it yet dear, so could you please tell Hermione to pass it on to her after she reads it? Yes, I promised Hermione that she could read this too because she might be able to get some information that can be used against Raven. Both your father and I are going to do all we can to stop him dear, because from what great grandfather Albert said, Raven is worst that You-Know-Who himself! And in case Ginny doesn't quite yet understand and in case you don't, the power is given to a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter when both only have brothers. So yes, Ginny has the power. I don't think Professor Dumbledore realises it yet so I'll send him an owl as soon as I can and recommend him start training lessons as soon as possible. I hate to put this all on you back at once Ron dear, but you really must understand that you are by no circumstances dangerous in any way shape or form to the ones you love, though your temper could use an adjustment. Hermione really does love you dear, and it's ripping her apart. Please understand Ron. Please, for Hermione's sakes, for ours, for Ginny's and Harry's and everyone else's. Please Ron. Please believer us. 

Love always,

Mum

A single tear fell on the piece of parchment. _Thanks mum,_ he thought. _I'll give it a go._


	16. In which relief and dread are both felt ...

**IN WHICH RELIEF AND DREAD ARE BOTH FELT IN ONE DAY**

"Harry," Merloyn suddenly said after receiving her mail. "He's done it."

"Done what?" the boy asked innocently. Then as if the answer had fallen from the sky he continued. "Oh, no. Shit no. He couldn't have. There's no way we'll get him now.  Merloyn, tell me it's not what I think it is."

She nodded gravely. Yes, it was true. He'd done it. Raven had done it. They were doomed. Absobloodylutely doomed. 

With a quick glance at her twin and best friend the three rose almost simultaneously and walked out of the Great Hall. The two Gryffindors waited for the Slytherin to catch up before all heading off in the direction of the library.

~*~ 

"I saw it in the Daily Prophet too," Draco agreed. "I still can't believe it though."

The trio were now seated in a shadowed corner of the library that the boys didn't even know existed. There was a dusty table in the middle of the group who seemed themselves surrounded by the dust on their velvet seats.

"We have to tell Professor Dumbledore," Harry concluded.

Merloyn shook her head. "Do you really think we have to?" 

"By the look on his face at breakfast I'm pretty sure he already knows," Draco added.

"Well, we should still probably go see him anyway. Just to ask about he exact predicament we're in. Remember the others probably think that the 'mysterious death' was caused by one of us" Harry argued. 

"What predicament we're in Harry? I can tell you right now what predicament we're in. The predicament where everyone's gonna die cause the most evil wizard of all time has pretty much risen to full power by draining the life of one of the most powerful wizards in the world! The one where we all die miserable deaths trapped in our own minds as we waste away or do things that we don't even know we're doing. The one where the villain isn't the one committing the crimes, where the ones most likely to kill you are the ones you love. The predicament where pretty much everyone is either killing the one they love or are driven into a state like Ron. That's what bloody predicament we're in!" Merloyn stated through tears. 

There it was again. The tears brought on by everything that concerned Ron. Even the mention of his name was bringing tears to her eyes. Even when she was the one mentioning him. Molly's letter hadn't worked. She hadn't received it back from Ron either. If anything he was worst than ever. He was looking at Ginny even more strangely than before and he looked almost as if he was trying to reach out of his shell and touch someone. Anyone. That's what made it worse. The intensified confusion and pain in his eyes. The look that pretty much made people expect to hear a cry of anguish or something of the sort. 

The two boys sat mouth gaping in shock. What had all of a sudden caused that outburst?

"Oh, I'm sorry guys," Merloyn apologised. "But to tell you the truth, 'cause I don't wanna give you false hope here, that's probably what's gonna happed.  At this stage, just having a laudabilis on our side won't be enough. We'd at least need a few fully trained Argepenics. We're doomed! Bloody doomed!"

Then all of a sudden the girl could feel a hand rest tentatively on her shoulder. Seeing the startled looks on the boys faces she was about to reach for her wand when she heard a familiar yet long missed voice.

"It'll be okay 'Mione. At least we've got _a _Argie-what-sha-ma-callit on our side."

"RON!" the girl exclaimed.

"In the flesh," he replied with a smile. "Mind you, I was pretty sure I was never coming into the library again but after your reaction in the hall, well, let's just say I didn't really have a choice."

"Oh, thank god Ron! You're back! You're really here. Thank God! I still can't believe this. Wait just a sec," Merloyn's excitement died down to suspicion and she leaned forward and whispered a question in his ear.

"I can't believe you're asking this. Could at least be happier I've come to my senses but okay. Not sure what day, no idea what time, just at night, you were raving mad 'cause Draco had told everyone you were his twin. Er.. oh yeah, and we were in the common room," he replied with a confused expression on his face. 

This confusion grew as Merloyn's face lit up and she literally threw herself at him.

"Ron's it's really you! Oh, I was so scared Ron, I though you were Him," she exclaimed.

The red-head let out a sigh of relief. "But if I really was Raven, how would you know?"

The grin was still plastered on her face as she replied. "It's simple really. Raven hasn't been human for over 15 millennia. He doesn't understand about humanoid faults like not knowing exact dates and times. If it really was him, and I'm just making the info up here 'cause I can't remember it either he'd probably reply something like: Your first question, in the Gryffindor common room, the third section from the right of the couch facing the fire place. Your second question, the 14th of August 2001. And finally your third question. 19:27 hours and 23.74673 seconds."

Ron just grinned like a maniac.

"Oh Ron! I've said it once I've said it a dozen times, I'm so glad you're back!" she exclaimed before pulling him into a shameless kiss. 

A few seconds later the couple were disrupted by an uncomfortable "Ahem," coming from a now composed Harry.

"We're both glad you're back mate, and I'd come up and hug you if only Merloyn wasn't clinging on to you like a chimp but we're in deep trouble now and we need to do as much planning as we can manage," he continued.

Draco nodded in agreement and after Merloyn had reluctantly untangled herself from Ron's grasp and allowed the others to express their utmost joy and excitement, the quartet moved out of the library, earning some surprised looks on the way, as Ron was plainly uncomfortable about being there.

As the four walked down the halls after catching Ron up to date with things a thought hit the boy.

"Harry," he said suddenly disrupting the silence. "Isn't Seamus's dad a muggle?"

The other three stopped in mid step.

"I haven't thought of that before," Harry replied.

"It's all a plot. I can just sense it. Raven's gained power. He's messing with our heads, planting false info. What happens if Seamus's dad was just an illusion that had been implanted into McNamara's brain? He's doing this on purpose. False information. He's up to something, and it's far worst than this. I'm sure this is only the beginning."

"But Merloyn? What could possibly be far worst than draining the remaining life from Voldemort and all of his elder Death Eaters?" Draco questioned.

"I don't know," Merloyn replied. "But I'm sure Raven does."


	17. In which celebration and fluff ensues

**IN WHICH CELEBRATIONS AND FLUFF ENSUES**

"Ron! I'm so happy you're okay again."

"We were really worried about you bro."

"Mum's ecstatic! You're alright again. You scared the shit out of me."

"R..Ron. I...I…I t.thought you were gonna be like that forever! Don't you dare do that to me again!"

Came the voices of the four occupants of the Gryffindor Common room, Angelina Johnson, Fred, George and Ginny Weasley, as the 'Dream Team' walked in, completed once more.

"Ginny, stop sobbing into me like that," Ron replied with a grin.

"B .. but Ron! I was so worried! You had Merloyn crying her eyes out every night and just that look in your eyes. I burst out crying in Potions once!" 

Just then the weight of what had happened dawned on him once more.  How had he managed to work up the courage to actually reach out and touch her shoulder? _The way she kept muttering your name and self-insults when she was alone,_ he answered himself. _And the way she seemed to be in so much pain you were willing to risk the fate of the whole world just to be there for her that one second. And offcourse, your mother's letter and the fact that it just hurt you too much to be away from her._

But when that hand touched her shoulder and nothing happened, that had to be the happiest moment of his life. He just felt all his troubled drift away and then and there, he knew that everything would be alright and that it would be just like the old times again. The 'Dream Team', this time just plus one.

~*~

That night, the close nit group of friends decided to have a party. But this time, it was just for the twelve of them. Angelina, Fred and George were to provide the food and Katie and Alicia the entertainment while Harry and Hermione, being prefects would provide the site, aka their shared study. Ron, Ginny and Seamus just had to turn up. A few minutes later, the seventh years walked into the study with piles of food stacked over their heads, laughing and joking. 

"It's great that you're back to your old self again Ron," Angelina said. "It must have been terrible for you, you can bet it was for us."

A half hour and seven canary creams later, Merloyn and Ron decided to go up to her room for some 'alone time.' But don't be fooled, that in no way, shape or form ended the celebrations as Fred and George had begun taking turns in sharing embarrassing stories about Ron 'I'm a Little Tike' Weasley. __

"What happened?" Merloyn asked as she leant on Ron's shoulder.

"What do you mean?" he replied.

"I mean, I know this is probably too soon to ask, but what happened during the time when you were well, like That. You, I don't know, you seemed to know who you were but then you just sorta forgot,"

"Oh, that. Well, I .. I .. I don't really know. It was like, I don't know, I'd say to myself 'nothing's wrong Weasley stop acting like an idiot'. And then I'd see a flash of a picture of the two of us kissing in the library and then WHAM! you'd all be dead and I'd be cackling like a maniac. It ..it ..was so life-like. Like a premonition. And I loved you too much to even risk it happening. I'd recover, then it'd happen again and then it happened so often during the first few days I was positive it was for real. Then I thought, what happened if other people triggered it? I.. I.. I couldn't risk that. It hurt like hell every time I saw you cry and that little voice in my head stopped me from comforting you. Every time I saw some guy hit on you and I couldn't do anything about it. I wanted to tell them all that you were too good for them. And then I realised you were too good for me too…"

"Oh, Ron!" Merloyn exclaimed. "Get that thought out of your head right now! If there's anyone undeserving another here it's me and that's that. But I should never have brought up the question in the first place. What happened doesn't matter right now. It's the fact that you're here with me. I love you Ron." 

After that little bit of conversation it was as if the two young lovers had come to a silent, mutual understanding to not ruin the beautiful night with needless talk. The two instead just laid there on the bed, drowning in the happiness of being at one another's side again. And that folks, was how the night passed. 


	18. In which a cleverly disguised trap sprin...

**IN WHICH A CLEVERLY DISGUISED TRAP SNAPS SHUT**

Days passed. Then weeks. Then months. The students who were closely affected by Ron's past predicament could still hardly believe he was back and sometimes even Merloyn, who prided herself in her self-control, found it hard not to just shout for joy. It was one of those happy days that Seamus Finnigan was paid an unexpected visit.

"Dad!" he called as he saw the familiar figure walking around the halls of Hogwarts.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he ran towards the dazed figure.

"Well," Albert Finnigan replied. "I'm just so happy that you got such good grades for your exams I figured I'd give you a surprise visit and take you for lunch or something."

"Sure dad! And guess what? Today being a Saturday and all we can go right now!" Seamus replied enthusiastically.

"How 'bout you bring your girlfriend Ginny along? I've always wanted to meet her."

"How did you kno … Oh, who cares. She's gong to The Three Broomsticks with her brother and a few friends."

"Well, let's invite them all. C'mon. I'll wait for you near the horse-less carriages," came his father's reply before the man walked off in the direction of the Great Hall.

"Hey, dad! Do you even know where they are?" his son called back without an answer.

~*~

"Hello, Merloyn," greeted Mr. Finnigan as his son stood back, still startled at the fact that his father knew the names of all his friends and the fact that he was particularly kind to Parvati, a girl he had only met a few times before.

"Not meaning to sound rude or anything Mr. Finnigan but where are we eating? I'm starving!" Draco burst out all of a sudden. A few of the teenagers looked at him strangely but the elder man just smiled.

"Of course Draco. There's a good 'rant I've heard of in the back of Hogsmeade. C'mon kids."

And with that the 7 teenagers, Ginny, Seamus, Parvati, (Lavender and Dean couldn't come because they were on a date) with Harry, Ron and the two Malfoy twins bringing up the rear, walked down towards the back streets of Hogsmeade.

"Hey, Ron," Merloyn said unclasping their entwined hands to fix her ponytail. "I thought Seamus said his Dad's never been to Hogsmeade before."

"He did," Ron replied.

"This isn't good," Draco concluded. "Something seems fishy about this."

"He sure knows a lot about us,"

"Yeah, Harry. Too much,"

"Only posh purebloods use the term _'rant_,"

"And the way he keeps looking at Parvati,"

"It wasn't a trap,"

"Hey wait! Isn't that Old Loony's house?" Draco suddenly asked pointing to a small shack.

Merloyn came to an abrupt halt. "And that's the old training school!"

"We're in the Dark part of Hogsmeade," her twin agreed. "This place is swarming with Death Eaters. Or what used to be Death Eaters anyway"

And as if to prove his point an old, gangly man in a silver hooded robe walked pass them.

"I could've sworn that was Master Kiel," Merloyn said to Draco.

Then a look of comprehension appeared on her face.

"It WAS a trap.  They figured that we'd work out that Albert Finnigan was a muggle and therefore use it against us. I mean, did it ever occur to any of us that he could've just been an embarrassed Squib?" she whispered. "Finnigan's working for Raven. I'd bet my right hand on it. The older one…"

There was an uncomfortable silence before:

"RUN!!" Merloyn screamed while making a wild dash towards an old secret passage she had uncovered years back near the training school. "PARVATI, SEAMUS, GINNY RUN!! IT'S A TRAP!" 

But it was too late. They were surrounded by servants of the new resident evil. Some old faces, some new. Young and old alike, they seemed to appear from everywhere, behind fences, inside barrels, apparating out of nowhere. Each and everyone of them hooded in a robe of silver and letting off a sense of cold menace. They could almost replace the Dementors of Azkaban. 

"I remember teaching you to be alert at all times Merloyn," came the voice of the figure she had recognised as Master Kiel. "You failed me. Again."

"We meet at last, Merloyn Ensis Malfoy. I've always wondered what it's be like to outsmart a laudabilis. Not as hard as it seems eh?" came another. This time she couldn't tell who it was.

And finally, came the voice they dreaded most of all. One that Ron and Merloyn hated and feared even more than Voldemort himself. The voice of Raven. 

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? A family outing is it? Pity it'll have to end so soon. Good work Finnigan. If only your son was as wise. Now, fine Skull Fighters, let us finish this back home. Greenleaf, Hilbrim, Tsarmina and Verduaga. I leave you in charge of dealing with these two insolent traitors and their filthy associates."

With that, and a quick glare sent Merloyn's way, he was gone.


	19. In which plans are hatched

IN WHICH PLANS ARE HATCHED  
  
"DAD!" Seamus Finnigan cried. "How could you?" "It's easy son," his father replied nonchalantly. "When my parents found out that I was a Squib they put me up for adoption. Imagine that. I grew up, married your mother, had you. I thought my life was perfect, I thought I knew everything about good and evil. I was determined to have you grow up a powerful wizard of the light side. But Voldemort changed all that. He showed me that there was only power and those too weak to use it. But then alas! I was given an even higher honour. The honour to work for Master. He treats his loyal followers much better than Voldemort ever did." Seeing Seamus's face Ginny managed to regain the use of her limbs and walked up to him, hugging him from behind. Seeing that, the others broke from their shocked state and walked the few steps to the pair. They now formed a sort of wall in front of Albert Finnigan. "How could you?!" Harry exclaimed in disbelief. "He's your own bloody son!" Ron cried. Ron almost leapt at the elder Finnigan but Merloyn grabbed his arm. After taking several deep breaths Merloyn stepped forward. "It's me you want," she began. "Just take me and leave the others alone." This only caused laughter to erupt from Raven's Skull Fighters. "It's not THAT easy my sweet," came a voice behind them. "You don't really think we're that ignorant do you?" His voice then changed to a more commanding tone. "Tsarmina, you take care of the Potter boy, careful he's a tough one. Hilbrim, you take the little Weasley and Patil. That leaves the elder Weasley, little Finnigan and the two Malfoys. Greenleaf, you take Weasley, he's that strong and mad you'll have your hands full. That leaves me with the Malfoys if you'll take your son Finnigan." And with that the teenagers were mercilessly seized, Greenleaf getting a few punches to the head from Ron, Tsarmina not faring much better and Hilbrim almost going deaf from Ginny and Parvati's screams. Seamus, who was still in shock only managed to put up a fight moments before being apparated to Raven's hide-out along with Ron, Harry, Ginny and Parvati. Verduaga, the remaing Skull Fighter in charge of escorting 'the insolent traitors and co.', was by far having the worst struggle for both Merloyn and Draco were putting up a most extravagant struggle. While Draco physically attacked him Merloyn fired powerful hexes and spells but finally the two were overpowered by the reinforcements and were soon apparated to the hide-out like the others.  
  
~*~  
  
The teenagers, all except Merloyn who had been dragged into a room of her own, were clumped in a dank cell floored with hay and twigs. Even though it seemed like they had been there for months in reality, it was only two days. "I'm starving!" Ron complained. "Trust you to think about something like that in a situation like this," Ginny snapped. "Though we've only had a bread roll to share for the past two days at least." She added as an afterthought. But Harry, having known Ron too well to be fooled by his act, decided to get straight to the point. "We're all pretty useless in the whole 'let's all plot against the source of all evil' agenda without Merloyn but we'll have to make do with the resources we've got. Draco here knows a heck of a lot about the Dark Arts and stuff like that, Ginny's an Argy-somethin'-on-other by what I've been told, Parvati's as good an actor as Katie Holmes - muggle, and Ron and I are pretty good with the overall executing of plans. Now tell me we haven't got a fighting chance," he said enthusiastically. "We haven't got a fighting chance." "Oh, Ron. Stop being so negative!" Parvati carped. "You don't know what he can do!" Ron exclaimed, standing up. "He messes with your head, makes you see things that aren't there. Makes you believe them. Then he turns you into a shell. You don't know what you're doing, who you are. You're arguing with yourself and then you try to commit suicide for freakin' sakes! YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT HE CAN DO!" "Then how 'bout we make a promise? An oath. No matter what we see ourselves doing and no matter what he tells us, we won't believe him. How 'bout that Ron?" Harry suggested. "It's not gonna work but I guess we're gonna have to do SOMETHING," Ron mumbled. "That's it mate! You're getting into the spirit!" Draco said dishevelling the red-head's hair. "But we still need a plan," Ginny pointed out. "Duh. Any suggestions?" came her boyfriend's reply. And so they spent the rest of the night - or day, you couldn't really tell, it being the type of cell it was - planning an escape with crazy suggestions like "Ginny'll distract them by doing the hula and the rest of us run away" to serious ones like "one of us feint being sick and when the git comes and checks on us we rush him." 


	20. In which re-acquaintances aren't always ...

**IN WHICH RE-ACQUAINTANCES AREN'T ALWAYS GOOD**

The teenagers were no longer exaggerating when they said that they had been in the cell for weeks because indeed, they had been. Three weeks to be exact. During that time they had been fed a tray of stale bread and a bowl of water every two days. The time they didn't spend eating and sleeping (which didn't happen very often) were spent planning and working out the specifics of those plans. Considering the amount of time they had on their hand it wasn't a surprise that the six of them had come up with 7 fool-proof plans, each originally named Plans A-G. The only problem was that each and everyone of them involved Merloyn and the fact that she wasn't there didn't help very much.  

But then, as luck had it, she did come walking through the door. Quite literally actually, and if that wasn't strange enough the fact that she was dressed like an angel (wings and all) and that Nevar came waltzing through the door like he was a ghost after her definitely was.  Ron, who was mad at Nevar to say the least, was about to lunge at the Molwordenack but stopped when he saw his love's slender arm slid into that of the former warlock's. 

"Her… 'Mione…what the heck are you doing?" he stuttered.

"It's simple of course, Weasley. Our famous laudabilis has finally come to her senses, haven't you dear?" Nevar added the last part while smiling to the beauty next to him.

"WHAT!" exclaimed Draco. "Merloyn, you can't! You've just signed our death warrants, you've.. you've killed the whole Light side! Merloyn, how… how could you?" 

But Merloyn just smiled while Nevar answered for her.

"It's simple really," he began. "It did take a lot of time though. See, she wasn't gullible but when she finally realized that, to put it simply, I was right and she was wrong, she agreed to transform into her laudabilis form. It's amazing isn't it? And all the power a laudabilis possesses. She can perform a spell and enhance the power ten fold. Can you believe that?"

He began smiling and walking about the room, her arm having been extracted from his during the short conversation. As soon as he got to where Ron was standing the teenagers winced as they saw Nevar's arm turn into a fist and swing back and….

"Wait!" came Merloyn's voice. "Just leave the little git alone."

"But Merloyn, dear! Just watch and you will have truly proven yourself to me," came Nevar's reply.

"Oh, so I have to prove myself to you now do I? So much for partners, Raven. Equals."

"No, it's not that dear. I just.. just want to make sure you've got a strong enough stomach for this sort of thing. A laudabilis can be used for a lot of things, you know."

"Well, you can just ask me now, can't you?" came her dignified response. "Anyway, I don't want to see your beautiful hands covered in some slime ball's blood."

"Yes, I guess dear. Let's just leave these imbeciles shall we?" And with that the two disappeared (once again quite literally) through the door.

"Who are you calling imbeciles?" Ron roared to the back of the door.

"Just calm down mate, calm down. We'll figure something out," Harry reassured.

"You want ME to bloody well calm down Harry?" Ron yelled.  "Well, I don't think so. Did you see that? The only girl I ever loved, is now not only clinging to the arms of the most evil …THING in the world and complimenting his 'beautiful hands', she's bloody well helping him kill us all! And you want me to calm down Harry. Well, I don't think so. I really don't bloody think so."

"She wasn't complimenting his hands as such as saving your arse, " Draco reasoned. "She's not that gullible, give her that at least. There has to be a logical explanation for this. " 

But there wasn't. Weeks passed and now and then the two would come to sneer at their captives. Ron and the others were getting more and more worried as they watched their hopes and dreams wash down the drain. It really didn't do to dwell on dreams after all. To rely on someone else except yourself to save you neck when you needed it saved. Merloyn's betrayal was like a slap on the face, a good wake-up call but yet an all so real revelation of the shit they were in. 

"Yep, we're screwed," Seamus simply stated out of nowhere. 

The six teenagers were all lying on the stone floor, bored as nails and confused like hell about what had happened. They still couldn't believe it. Merloyn Malfoy. Hermione Granger. Their little 'Mione had passed onto the Dark side when they had needed her most. It just didn't happen. It didn't happen in the movies, it didn't happen in the books, it didn't happen in the news. It just didn't bloody happen. Friends weren't suppose to desert each other. Not like that. Not ever. They'd only just then realised how important an asset she had been to them all. How much they had needed her. And now all her talent, all her skill and knowledge were going to be used for the Dark side. Used to ruin and end the lives of hundreds upon thousands of people. At that was only if they were defeated before the battle could rage outside the United Kingdom. 

"Wait a sec," Ron said mysteriously. "You do realize, don't you? That we're gonna have to KILL her if we can't talk her back into joining us. That or put her in Azkaban….. Shit. I don't think I could do that."

"None of us could," Seamus replied. "And speak of the devil, here she is."

And in walked Merloyn and Nevar, the girl still in all her laudabilis glory and the Molwordenack in his dark fervour.  Instead of the usual taunting, this time Nevar just walked straight up to Ron and kicked him where it hurt. The others watched to see Merloyn's reaction as he kneeled over in pain but she just stood there, still as a stone, using her powers to prevent them coming any closer to the two. 

"It's the house elves who have to deal with the blood this way," muttered Nevar sadistically as his steel-capped boots connected with Ron's ribs. Ron cried out in pain and curled tighter into a ball. 

"That's not going to help you," sang Nevar and he kicked Ron some more.

"THAT IS IT!" Ginny exclaimed. "YOU ARE GOING TO STOP USING MY BROTHER AS A PUNCHING BAG WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!"

After the sudden outburst, the strangest of things happened. Nevar was thrown into the opposite wall with such force that he left a dint before crashing back, unconscious, onto the ground. 

It left them all so stunned that all Parvati, who was normally extremely talkative, could say was "Whoa, Ginny. Whoa."

The six captives turned around to face Merloyn, who had a worried expression on her face. They all secretly wished it was some of her old love for Ron coming out but when she started to walk towards Nevar their hopes diminished. She tentatively placed her hands over his chest and from her open palms came a soft blue light. Nevar's eyes fluttered open and he gave a small laugh.

"I keep underestimating your power don't I, Merloyn?"

"This definitely hasn't been the first time, Raven," she replied with a smile. 

The two linked arms and walked through a neighbouring wall, not even taking a glance at Ron or any of the others.

"Looks like I underestimated his physical capability," came Ron's feeble voice. 

The remaining five, as if waking up from a trance, rushed over to the red-head's bloody body.

"Ron!" Parvati exclaimed. "You look like hell."

"I thinks that's the least of our worries, Pav," Ginny snapped. "Ron, you feeling alright."

"Probably not half as bad as I look," he joked back. 

"I'm sorry we didn't do anything, Ron," Draco said. "We couldn't. She was using her powers. It was like there was an invisible shield surrounding you guys."

"Well, you were lucky then. I as hell didn't want you guys jumping in. He is one strong evil thing and I've finally figured out what rhymes with steel-cap boots."

"What?"

"Pain. A hell of a lot of pain."


	21. In which secret notes are passed

**A/N: I'd like to dedicate this to Flaming Dragon and harrysgirl, who are probably the only two who read this so, sorry if no one else reads the dedication,. You're the most loyal reviewers in existence! May the writer's block imp never visit you. And Ludo B, welcome to the world of my strange fanfiction.**

**IN WHICH SECRET NOTES ARE PASSED**

The captives had just managed to start dosing off when they heard an abrupt knock on the door. 

"Who is it?" Ron asked. 

Parvati and Ginny had managed to bind his wounds with shreds of cloth ripped from his shirt.

"Dunno," Seamus replied. "We're not due to get fed until tomorrow."

The knock came again and just as Draco was about to shout at whoever it was to "get the hell lost" the body of none other than Merloyn herself waltzed through the door.

"What do you want?" Ron spat.

But she only replied by pressing her fingers to her lips. Ginny, who was normally the subtlest of the lot, chose that moment to lunge at the laudabilis. 

"That's for just watching my brother get trampled like that! That's for stopping us from helping him! That's for pretending to be the best friend I ever had, that's for making my brother love you and that. That's for making me still believe that the old Hermione's still in there somewhere."

Tears were pouring down her face as her tiny fists pounded into her old friend's white robes.

"Why aren't you hitting me back? Hit me back, dammit! Hit me back!"

The small red-head finally collapsed into a sobbing heap on the laudabilis, who surprisingly enough began patting her back. 

"Okay, what the heck?" Ron muttered to himself.

Placing Ginny carefully on the floor, Merloyn looked up at the shirtless Ron and smiled a smile you would see five year olds smile when they saw an ice-cream truck. She walked over to the now extremely stunned boy, ruffled his hair and handed him a small crystal bottle filled with a blue liquid. She walked over to Harry, giving him a quick hug before moving over to her twin and handing him a bit of parchment. He took a quick glance at it and as she was about to walk to walk through the door he called after her.

"And we're really gonna believe what you say are we? It could be poison for all we know!"

With a dignified humph she snatched her necklace from her neck and threw it at his head. Before anything else could be said or done, she walked through the door. 

"What is it?" Parvati asked as Draco held up the pewter hawk.

"Oh, it's just something our mother gave us," Draco explained. "I've got one too, though it's a dragon. Here it is. You make the two touch and if they glow and turn into the entwined letters D and M both Merloyn and I are on exactly the same side as we were when we received it, which is the Light."

"What if the.." 

"No, Ron. It CAN'T be bewitched," Draco interrupted, already guessing the question.

"So what are we waiting for?" Ginny asked.

"Don't know. But how do you think Fred would feel if he was about to find out whether George was gonna try to kill or help him. I'm not exactly looking forward to the truth."

"What if I do it for you?"

"Nah, thanks anyway, Harry. But I've gotta be the one that does it. Here goes nothing…"

The teenagers didn't really know what to expect but it sure came as a surprise when the hawk and dragon glowed blue and green before turning into the letters M and D. Just the letters, not entwined.

"What happened?" enquired Harry.

"Couldn't tell ya," replied a confused Draco.

"Err... have you ever done this without her holding on to the hawk before?" Ron suggested.

"No," Draco said. "That's probably it."

After walking around the minute cell several times Draco decided to read the note aloud to everyone:

Draco,

The bottle contains Phoenix Tears. Get Ron to drink it, it'll heal his wounds. Ginny's an untrained Argepenice so she might be able to help with the following part. You can unlock the door if you press my hawk up to it and say the words, Fortis Qui Trudens, 3 times. Tell Harry and Ron to get the girls out of here. This is our fight, Draco, and I can't stand the four of them being hurt unnecessarily. I didn't heal Nevar properly so I'll try to drug his dinner. Warlocks are vulnerable to drugs so hopefully it'll work. I need back-up if it doesn't though, so please try to meet me in the west wing main chambers. 

Tell Ron I love him.

Merloyn

"Draco, no way," Harry objected. "We are NOT leaving without the two of you. Ain't that right, Ron? Ron?"

The aforementioned boy was staring at the opposite wall with a look of determination on his face.

"Yep," he said looking up at the others. "We're staying, and we're gonna kick their evil arses to whatever demented realm they came from!"


	22. In which drugs and demons don't mix

**IN WHICH DRUGS AND DEMONS DON'T MIX**

"Merloyn, my dear! What delicious soup you've made for me," Nevar said, grinning from his position on the humungous bed.

"It's not much really, just threw a few things in,"  she replied, walking further into the room. _Yeah, you know, just the usual. Leek, smoked salmon, rat poison…._

"Well, c'mon, Merloyn. Sit down. You really have to tell me about what you can do. They say not two laudabilises are the same, you know," Nevar said cheerily.

Merloyn carefully sat down on the corner of the bed furthest from the molwordenack. _You can't tell him everything, _she thought, _and put down what you already can do._

"Well, erm.. I haven't really been trained so not much. Just a little healing of minor wounds, my spells and enchantments are a little stronger than normal and a small amount of wandless magic. That's about it really," she replied.

Nevar was nodding slightly as he listened to her speak. "Well, I'm sure with a little bit of training you'll be the most powerful being in the whole of Europe. Well, second to me of course, we can't have you planning mutiny now can we?"

_Oh, but I've already planned mutiny. Executed the plan too._

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Benzoate. You're so nice to me that the thought wouldn't even cross my mind. But now you have to get some sleep.  I'm a laudabilis, not a miracle worker. Getting thrown back like that could have caused internal bleeding and I'm not very good at that. Just try to get some sleep," she suggested. 

"That's a good suggestion, Merloyn, but I'm feeling awfully nauseous at the moment. Excuse me for a minute," he said and made a move to get up.

_Oh, no you don't, _she thought. _I've tried too hard to get that stuff down your throat. You're not about to spew it back up again. _

"It's just the medicine, I put in it. It tastes horrible on its own so I figured I'd just put a small drop in your soup," she began, gently pushing him back down. "It takes forever to make, so just try to fight the urge okay? That's the horrible thing about it. Great stuff, people just can't keep it in their stomachs for long though."

"If that's what you say," he sighed.

The laudabilis slowly got up and walked through the bedroom door as soon as she saw that the evil entity on the bed was asleep.

_That's it. Let the poison do the work now, 'Mione. It kills when you're asleep. _She could hear a strangled cough coming from the other side of the door. _Perfect._


End file.
